Last week the U.S. Senate voted to eliminate private lenders from its subsidized student-loan programs.  With the new law, students would borrow straight from the governement at the same interest rates (6 - 8.5%), but costs the US Treasury less money since the government can borrow money more cheaply than private the private sector can.

You many be wondering how this new bill affects your student loan balance.  According to the White House, "New borrowers who assume loans after July 1, 2014, will be able to cap their student loan repayments at 10 percent of their discretionary income and, if they keep up with their payments over time, will have the balance forgiven after 20 years."

Additional details can be found at http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/22/loan-q-a/

One of the most important aspects in selecting a debt solution company, to negotiate debt reductions on your behalf, is choosing a company with high marks in customer service.  We feel it important to not only answer your call in a timely fashion, but also to provide quality customer service, which answers your questions, resolves financial challenges, and puts you in a position to suceed in your ability to become debt free.

A company can be measured and graded in many ways.  For example, our in-house systems have processed over 1.5 Billion dollars in creditor payments and have serviced more than 225,000 clients over the past decade.  Although systems and processes are nice, it really is our professional customer service representatives who are the face of the company, and are well trained to take care of whatever financial challenges you face.

If you are thinking about entering a Consumer Credit Counseling (CCC) Debt Management Program (DMP) or are considering alternative debt solutions, consider choosing a company whose foudners have been in the industry since 1997, and who pride themselves on providing exceptional customer service.

Call today to speak with a financial counselor.  Together we will make a plan to help you become debt free for life.

Now that the holidays have passed, many people are starting to get credit card statements in the mail showing higher balances than ever before. It can be frustrating to see monthly balances remain high despite paying each month on the balance owed.  Many people don't realize that if you make just the minimum payment, you will be paying on that debt for over 20 years!  AmeriFree offers pre-negotiated concessions available from most creditors through our exclusive programs, and can pass them on to you through several of our debt reduction plans.  We hope you include in your New Year Resolutions a goal to reduce your debt this year.  Our financial credit counselors and debt settlement professionals are ready to customize a simple plan that can help you be debt free sooner than you may think is possible.

May 2010 be the year you decide to become Debt Free!

- The AmeriFree Team

If you have more debt than you can handle, and are unable to get out of debt on your own due to high interest rates while barely making the minimum payments, it is time to consider alternatives such as credit counseling or debt settlement services.  Picking the right company is critical to getting out of debt.  The more you know about your options, the more prepared you will be to face the challenges with a true debt solution. 

Make sure you choose a company that has a great track record.  There are many fly-by-night debt companies out there that make over-the-top claims about how they can get rid of your debt and bring up your credit score, while siphoning off large up-front settlement fees before they have actually saved you any money.  You know the routine if it sounds too good to be true.

In choosing the right company to help you get out of debt, it is paramount that you have a great working relationship with them.  In consultation with them, you will disclose your inner-most financial challenges, and will want a company that has a strong track record in successfully helping people get out of debt.

In your initial consultation, know your options and get it in writing.  Most companies offering debt solutions offer either credit counseling or debt settlement.  What are the differences?  What makes one program better than the other?  Who do you know which one works for your situation?  If you are speaking to a financial counselor at one of these companies, they will most likely tell you that their credit counseling program is better than the other guys’ debt settlement program, and vice versa.  What is a person to do?

When you call and speak to one of our debt counselors, we provide an unbiased assessment of both our credit counseling and debt settlement programs, review your financial hardships and goals, and develop a plan to get out of debt within a specified timeline.  With multiple debt solutions to choose from, you decide what option best fits your needs.  Unlike most debt solution companies, AmeriFree Financial offers both credit counseling and debt settlement services.  We have designed debt management programs that have helped countless people become debt free, and have counseled over 750,000 people.  The call is free and takes but a few minutes of your time.  We look forward to hearing from you soon.

When someone is in debt, and wants access to special programs designed to help them become debt free, they have many options to choose from.  Although there are many services out there to help that person become debt free, there are also numerous companies out there looking for a quick buck, regardless of what the does to the consumer. 

There are numerous options out there to help people become debt free.  Services such as credit counseling, debt settlement, debt negotiation and credit repair all fall into this category.  Established, regulated industries such as those in the credit counseling arena follow strict state-mandated guidelines, and are subject to numerous controls and audits.  Other services, including debt settlement and debt negotiation, are newer, and are subject to less government oversight as the industry is so new.  Most often the bad apples can be found in these latter industries.

In deciding between debt management companies, make sure you know what kind of questions to ask.  One of the better ways to discover which company is a good candidate to meet your financial goals to get out of debt is to call them, and speak to someone at the company. For example, if a debt settlement company collects the majority of their fees in the first 12 months of a program, do you think they really have a financial incentive to be there for you in the later months of the program?  Did they just pop up over night?  Do they give you multiple options to choose from when it comes to the debt management program, or do they only offer a single program (one size fits all)?  Do they have a track record of providing good service while helping thousands and thousands of people get out of debt?  If the company has been in business for a long time, and has clients that remain with the program, you can know they are a good company to work with.

Since 1994, the management team at AmeriFree Financial has designed consumer friendly programs which have helped close to three quarters of a million people with their debt.  We offer both credit counseling and debt settlement services, allowing consumers to choose the debt management program that would best fit their needs.  We offer top quality credit counseling services, and our debt settlement program was designed to model the credit counseling industry in that we do not collect front loaded settlement fees.  Speak with a counselor at AmeriFree Financial today.  The call is free, and within 10 minutes you can have a financial plan to get out of debt quickly, and be debt free.

Consumer debt ballooned over the past ten to fifteen years, primarily due to the ease of obtaining low interest rate loans, and consumer’s excessive use of home equity line of credits due to soaring home prices.  With credit so freely available, regardless of credit risk, consumers mounted significant credit card and other debts.  When spending outpaces savings, it often leads to bankruptcy, however with new laws regarding bankruptcy, it has become harder to file, and costs a lot more money.

With a greater number of people unable to qualify for bankruptcy, nor willing to suffer the consequences of filing, they are on the lookout for different options.  Debt consolidation programs like Credit counseling and debt reduction programs like debt settlement help consumers shed debt without the lasting effects of bankruptcy.  These programs are built around recommendations provided by credit counselors based on individual needs.  Once a customized plan is in place, the debt solution company works directly with the consumers creditors to put the plan in action.

Although entering bankruptcy seems easy, more often than not it is not the case as a bankruptcy remains on your credit score for seven years.  A debt reduction program can leave you debt free within two to five years, and does not affect your credit as adversely as bankruptcy.  If you are able to enter a debt consolidation program like credit counseling, you also will be debt free within two to five years, but entering this program will not negatively affect your FICO score.

Do you feel like you are running out of financial options, and facing mounting debt?  Call now and speak with one of our friendly debt experts.  In just fifteen minutes you can have a financial plan to be debt free.

Managing credit card debt can be tricky, if not downright impossible if left unchecked.  There are simple questions you can ask yourself to identify if you are heading in the wrong direction, or if you need to take corrective action.

1. How much have you saved in your rainy day fund?
   
   Maybe the first question to ask is if you even have an emergency fund.  Many people find they enter the downward spiral of debt, not by living the excess lifestyle, but because they did not have rainy day fund when their financial skies were clear.  All it takes is one unexpected expense, whether that be a medical emergency, loss of job, etc, and you could be stuck in a financial hurricane.  Fortunately, as you emerge from debt, you can include a "personal rainy day bill" in your budget.
2. Are you spending more than you are paying?
   
   This should go without saying, but if you are consistently spending more than you are able to pay off, you have a problem.  There is an old saying that it is easy to spoon away money faster than it is to shovel it in.  If you find yourself in a financial mess, with unsecured debt piling up, take a few minutes and speak with one of our credit counselors to see how we can make a customized plan to help you get out of debt.
3. Are you living day to day because of your credit card or special terms financing?
   
   Sure it is nice to have the monster, in-home movie theater, closet full of designer clothes, and other nice things that your friends and neighbors have, but if you don't have the means to pay for it, you are certainly headed for trouble.  Use special caution when signing up for "bargains" like zero percent interest for X months.  If you choose to utilize one of these promotions, divide the total balance by the number of months of the terms, and decide if you can make that payment (not the minimum payment the store advertises).  If you are unable to pay the bill calculated with this method, you will most likely be suprised with an overnight increase of the balance of 20-30% when the terms expire.  That $5000 deal could easily become a $6500 deal breaker, with an APR approaching 30%.
4. What is your financial plan to get out of debt?
   
   If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.  Did you know that if you are making minimum payments, you could be paying off that balance over a period of 20+ years?  AmeriFree can help you come up with a financial plan that will enable you to be debt free in 24-60 months.
5. Do you charge your day to day purchases on a credit card, rather than a debit card?
   
   If you use the available credit on your credit card, rather than paying with a debit card due to lack of funds in your checking account, this is a strong indication you are heading in the wrong direction.
6. Are you floating bills, or altogether skipping payments?
   
   If you find yourself in a situation where you are playing a sliding tile puzzle game with your cashflow, you certainly have problems with debt
7. Are you behind on your credit card bills?
   
   Being late on a credit card payment causes your previously small minimum payment to snowball into a much larger minimum payment.  It also causes your credit card interest to go up dramatically, and will cause the creditor to scrutinize your account.
8. Are you on a first name basis with those seeking to collect debts from you?
   
   Although it may begin as a casual follow up to your delinquent account, collection departments and agencies will quickly ratchet up the pressure to get paid.  Our debt solutions offer relief from the incessant calls, harrasing communications, and relentless pressure used by collection agencies.

After taking this quiz, you now have a better idea where you rank on the financial freedom barometer, and can forecast what lies ahead.  Fortunately we offer a free consultation to go over your monthly budget, unsecured debts, and living expenses to come up with a plan that can help you be debt free must faster than making token monthly payments.

Consumer Federation of America reports debt collection experienced the fastest growth in consumer complaints in 2008.  With the state of the economy, companies have cranked up the pressure and shady practices on consumers to collect debt.  Most people that are down on their luck, or behind on their bills will receive phone calls from collection agencies demanding payment for past due balances, however the trend is showing they are using more deceptive and harmful practices.

Despite the growth in consumer complaints, the resources to help are shrinking due to budget cuts and staff reductions.

Consumers that are having a difficult time keeping up with their bills should strongly consider enrolling in a credit counseling or debt settlement program with AmeriFree Financial.  Our debt solutions are consumer friendly, allowing you to pay what you can afford, while putting a stop to collection calls.  Call us today to discuss your financial needs.

In a Demos article titled The Plastic Safety Net, Tamara Draut and Jose Garcia outline how households are managing their cost of living in these hard economic times.

While the deep recession continues to threaten the financial well being of middle-income families, its become a more dramatic problem;  even before the economy tanked, millions of households were already having a hard time meeting most simple expenses, and barely making minimum payments owed to creditors.  As unsecured debt balances ballooned families are now experience declining home values and see their credit lines shrink, a lot more people are falling behind on their mortgage and credit card payments.

Now is the time to get out of debt!  Our credit counselors can help you develop a customized debt solution plan to help you get out of debt quickly.  The call is free, so act now!