Resources for Debt Reduction

When trying to climb out of debt, work with legitimate agencies that will work with you to help you address the issue, including the following agencies:

National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC). In addition to the main website, you might want to explore www.debtadvice.org, which offers a wealth of information on budgeting and the smart use of credit. The MyMoneyCheckUp tool will help you assess your debt, and to decide if you need help digging out.
Contact: 800-388-2227. www.nfcc.org

Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies (AICCCA). The AICCCA represents the common interests of member agencies to ensure that all who seek help with their debt problems receive the highest quality of assistance.
Contact: 866-703-8787. www.aiccca.org

Council of Better Business Bureaus. Check with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and with your state Attorney General’s Office (below) to see if any complaints have been lodged against any credit counseling enterprise you approach.
Contact: 703-276.0100. www.bbb.org

National Association of Attorneys General. Visit the website (below) and click on the colorful map of the United States to find your home state’s office of the Attorney General.)
Contact: www.naag.org

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About the Author

Russell Wild, MBA

Russell Wild is the author or co-author of nearly two dozen nonfiction books, including most recently, Bond Investing for Dummies, Second Edition (Wiley, 2012), Exchange Traded Funds For Dummies, Second Edition (Wiley, 2012), One Year to An Organized Financial Life (Da Capo, 2010, co-authored with professional organizer Regina Leeds), Index Investing for Dummies (Wiley, 2009), and The Unofficial Guide to Getting a Divorce (Wiley, 2005; co-authored with ex-wife attorney Susan Ellis Wild). Wild is also a prolific magazine writer with more than 500 articles in major national magazines, including AARP The Magazine; AARP Bulletin; Consumer Reports, Details, The Huffington Post, Kiplinger’s, Maxim, Men's Journal, Health, Cosmopolitan, Real Simple, and The Saturday Evening Post. Wild's books and magazine articles have been reprinted or excerpted in Reader's Digest (on several occasions), Men's Health, New Woman, and in countless newspapers and websites. Most of his articles for consumer magazines have offered snappy, practical advice on personal finance, especially investing. He also contributes regularly to professional financial journals, such as Financial Planning, Financial Advisor, The NAPFA Advisor, and Wealth Manager, and on occasion to custom publications, such as investor newsletters for Fidelity, Charles Schwab and Wells Fargo. Wild is formerly a senior editor in the book division of Rodale Press, and the founding editor of Men's Health Books. Way back when, he worked as a credit analyst at a large bank. In college, he studied economics, graduated magna cum laude, and went on to get a master's degree in business administration (MBA) in international management. In addition to his work as a writer and author, Wild is also a fee-only financial planner and investment advisor registered with the Pennsylvania Securities Commission. He is a long-standing member and past president of the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), as well as a member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA).