By Pamella Neely

A reputable credit counseling agency can help you pull yourself out of a financial crisis, and improve your credit rating at the same time. If you are tired of living from one paycheck to the next, then finding the right one may well be the answer to your problems. However, there are certain questions that you should ask before letting them be in charge of your finances.

The first thing to look for is that they are a member of a nationally recognized accreditation body such as the NFCC, the COA, or the AICCCA.

It would also help for them to be ISO certified, and a member in good standing of the Better Business Bureau. If they have a website, it is preferable that they are a member of the BBB Online Reliability Program as well.

After checking for accreditation, certification, and Better Business Bureau standing, continue to conduct a further investigation on your own using whichever means you prefer. Also contact your state's Attorney General, your local consumer protection agency, and the United States Trustee Program. They all keep accurate records of reputable consumer credit counseling agencies, and can help to point you in the right direction.

After you have conducted that part of the research, a little more is still in order. Go online, and find the websites of any organizations that you are considering. Look for reviews or testimonials, frequently asked questions, financial information, and any other extras that they provide their customers.

Find out what services they offer. Try to find an organization that offers a large variety of services which may include budget counseling, debt and/or savings management classes, and debt management plans. However, do not choose an organization that strongly pushes a debt management plan as your only option before actually spending the needed time to analyze your specific financial situation. A debt management plan is an excellent option most of the time if all other factors have been taken into consideration, but it should never be considered to be the first choice.

First, try to work with all of your creditors on your own by developing a workable budget. If you cannot do that by yourself, then have a counselor assist you with the budgeting process, or create a debt management plan depending on your specific situation. After considering all other possible alternatives, the best way for you to fix your consumer debt problems may very well be a reputable consumer credit counseling agency. Ask a lot of questions, do the research, and always demand quality customer service. This is an excellent way to rebuild your credit so take the time to choose your service provider wisely.

Pamella Neely writes about car donation and donate car tax write off rules.

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