When it comes to debt relief programs and ensuring a debt-free future, you have four main options available. How do you know which one is right for you?

Here’s a quick summary to help you make the best decision.

Debt Relief Option #1 – Debt Consolidation

While a common consideration for those with high credit card debt, debt consolidation offers some fairly significant disadvantages.

1. Debt consolidation does not reduce the overall amount of your debt. With a debt consolidation loan you’ll still pay back 100% of your debt, plus interest. A debt consolidation loan basically transfers your credit card debt from one place to another.
2. Debt consolidation loans are usually “secured” loans that cannot be lowered or negotiated. This could put your home, car, or other personal assets at risk in the event of default.
3. Funds from the debt consolidation loan are used to pay off your credit card debt. For some people, having credit cards with zero or low balances is too much of a temptation. Before they know it, they’re back in the same position again with high credit card debt.

Do your research before you choose Debt Consolidation. It’s a decision you’ll be living with for many years to come.

Debt Relief Option #2 – Credit Counseling

Credit counseling organizations usually try to reduce the interest rates and fees associated with your debt. Like debt consolidation, though, credit counseling doesn’t actually reduce the amount you owe. You’re still responsible for 100% of your total balance.

Many people are also surprised to learn that credit counseling can actually cause your monthly payment to go up. If you’re looking for some immediate financial relief and want to have more money in your pocket for rent, food, tithing, and more, credit counseling may not be the best option for you.

Debt Relief Option #3 – Bankruptcy

Yes, bankruptcy will often eliminate all of your debts… but it also produces some significant negative consequences that you should be aware of.

• The bankruptcy will show on your credit report for at least seven years
• It will be much harder to obtain loans or other forms of credit in the future
• The higher interest rates you pay as a result of filing bankruptcy may offset any gains you received from eliminating your debt
• You’ll likely have unexpected attorney expenses due to laws that were recently enacted
• A credit counseling course will be required within six months of filing bankruptcy…even if you have already taken one
• Bankruptcy will stay on your court records for 20 years and could easily be uncovered when you apply for a job, a loan, or rent an apartment

In addition, bankruptcy has a social stigma that many people prefer to avoid. Think long and hard before choosing bankruptcy as a debt relief solution. In most cases, it should be your last choice.

Debt Relief Option #4 – Debt Settlement

The three previous debt relief solutions all have some fairly significant negative consequences to their use – from not reducing the overall amount of your debt to taking five years or more to get you out of debt to potentially increasing your monthly payments.

Debt settlement, though, offers some of the best features of the other methods and eliminates many of the negatives. That’s why we believe that debt settlement is a great choice for those looking to reduce or eliminate their debt.

With debt settlement you’ll:

• Immediately lower your monthly payment
• Reduce your credit card debt
• Become debt-free in as little as 24 months
• Pay no fees until your debt is reduced

Have more questions or want to learn more about the FaithWorks Financial debt settlement program? Visit our FAQ page or click here to receive a free consultation and quote from one of our friendly Christian Debt Advisors.

As Christians, the Bible is our “life guide” – offering advice and instruction on everything from how we treat others to how we should try to live our lives.

But did you know that the Bible contains over 2,000 scriptures that expressly cover how we should deal with and manage money?

Today I’d like to take a look at a specific verse – Romans 13:8 which says; “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.”

I find the first part of that scripture – “Owe nothing to anyone.” – particularly important.

Why? Because when we accumulate excessive debt, our focus tends to turn away from God and toward money and ourselves.

We start to think less about God and less about how we can become the men and women he desires us to be and more about how we can acquire more money.

If not careful, we can become obsessed with money to the point where it interferes with our personal relationships, our work performance and even our level of happiness.

Our lives may become filled with stress and a general sense of failure. We may lose sight of God and begin to feel all alone in the world.

That’s why it’s important to strive to “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.”

So if you have accumulated excessive debt, perhaps it’s time to get out from under its heavy weight and begin to regain your life and your focus on God.

Take the first step. Speak with a Christian Debt Advisor and learn about the debt relief options that are available to you.

Remember…you can be debt free. You can have a happier and more relaxed life.

Finally…the hard work is done.

You’ve reviewed your debt relief options (including debt consolidation, credit counseling and bankruptcy) and have determined that debt settlement is the right choice for you.

Perhaps it was because you could get started for free. Or maybe you liked how quickly debt settlement could help you reduce your debt. In any event, it’s great to have the decision made.

Now what?

Well, you want to be sure to choose a debt settlement company that is right for your personal situation. Here are 7 quick tips for choosing a reputable debt settlement company.

1. Make sure you select a company that follows FTC regulations. Unfortunately, there are some unscrupulous companies out there. The FTC recently stepped in to help protect consumers. You can also protect yourself by choosing an FTC-compliant company.
2. Don’t pay any upfront fees. In fact, there should be no fees until your debt is reduced. FaithWorks Financial believes that you should ‘Get results first…pay fees later’. You’ll want to choose a company that has a similar philosophy.
3. Avoid debt settlement companies that don’t offer a free consultation. The consultation will give you a window into how the company works and help you gauge how responsive their debt advisors are. You deserve to work with experts who will quickly respond to your questions and who put your wants and needs at the top of their priority list.
4. During the free consultation make sure you ask the debt advisor if he or she is the person you will be working with throughout the debt settlement process. Many companies have sales teams that close the sale, leaving you to work with someone else for the duration of the program. At FaithWorks Financial we believe in developing a long-term partnership with our members. That is why we try to limit your communications to no more than two of our Advisors. You’re treated as an individual, not an account number. Your Christian Debt Advisor will take the time to learn about your unique circumstances and be with you through the entire process. This personalized approach can help you reduce your credit card debt even more and save you as much money as possible.
5. Get as much upfront information as possible on how long the debt settlement process will take and how much it will cost. FTC guidelines require that these details be communicated to you…so don’t let a company beat around the bush!
6. Make sure your funds are held at a third-party financial institution in an FDIC-insured escrow account. Avoid companies that ask you to send funds directly to them. It’s your money. You should have complete access and be able to make withdrawals at any time.
7. Consider a Christian Company. Faith-based companies often take a more ethical approach to business and may be more likely to look out for your best interests.

Have questions or want to know more? Click here to receive a free quote and consultation.

Worried about your credit and want to improve it? Our Christian debt relief programs give us insight into helping people not just with their debt, but their credit as well. There are two things to know: You are not alone, and there are some simple ways to boost your credit score.

According to Experian’s annual consumer credit review, nearly one-third of Americans may have difficulty obtaining loans and credit cards because of challenges with their credit.

The better your credit, the lower your interest rate on car loans and credit cards. Good credit scores will also make homeownership much easier. There are few tools more valuable in your financial tool belt than a good credit score.

Below are five (better yet, let’s make it SIX!) simple ways to boost your credit score.

Simple Way to Boost Your Credit Score #1: Get rid of credit card debt

Paying off loans, such as your mortgage, car loan, or student loans, can improve your scores, but it won’t improve your scores as much as consistently lowering balances on revolving accounts such as credit cards. Your debt to credit limit ratio plays a significant role in determining your credit score.

Paying your balances down doesn’t just help your credit score either, it takes major financial pressure off! Understanding how our Christian Debt Relief programs impact your credit is important to ensure long term success.

Simple Way to Boost Your Credit Score #2: Cut back on credit card use

Making big charges can damage your scores whether you pay off your balances each month or not. As a rule of thumb, keep your monthly charges to 30% or less of your credit card’s limit.

Simple Way to Boost Your Credit Score #3: Be sure your credit limits are reported accurately

If your lender is showing a credit limit that is lower than your actual amount your credit score can be penalized. Most credit card issuers will quickly update this information if you make them aware of the error.

This proven and simple way to boost your credit score requires very little legwork and can make a big impact, fast.

Simple Way to Boost Your Credit Score #4: Keep Using Older Cards

Quite simply, the older your credit history, the better. Continue to periodically use the credit cards that you’ve had the longest and your credit score will benefit. Don’t make unnecessary purchases or go deep into debt for this. Even an occasional fill-up at the gas station will do the trick.

Simple Way to Boost Your Credit Score #5: Study Your Credit Report for Errors

When it comes to raising your credit scores, some errors are more important to fix than others.

Here’s what you should look out for. Get these items corrected if you discover mistakes have been made:

• Late payments
• Credit limits reported as lower than they actually are, as mentioned above
• Accounts listed as anything other than “current” or “paid as agreed” (such as “paid derogatory” and “paid charge-off”) if you paid in full and on time.
• Accounts included in bankruptcy still listed as unpaid.
• Negative items older than seven years should have automatically been removed from your credit report.

Follow these five simple ways to boost your credit score and you should see your score steadily improve.

Because Everyone Loves a Bonus…

Don’t ask a creditor to lower your credit limits!

While your heart might be in the right place – i.e. reducing your limit will keep you from charging so much, the truth is lowering your credit limit will reduce the all-important gap between your balances and your available credit, which in turn will hurt your credit score.

It’s better to leave your limits where they are and try to limit your spending another way.

Interested in reducing or eliminating your credit card debt quickly and easily? Our proven Christian debt relief programs will provide a customized debt relief solution so you can achieve true financial freedom.