Straight answers about our three core topics — credit card hardship programs, credit counseling, and credit rebuilding — plus general questions about fees, credit impact, and state rules.
Yes. Reviewing your options through our form is free and does not require a hard credit pull. There is no obligation to enroll in anything.
Simply submitting the intake form does not itself pull your credit. Any specific program you later pursue (a loan, for example) may involve its own credit check — that provider will disclose it before you apply.
No. Legitimate debt relief offers should not require payment before services are performed. If anyone asks you to pay before helping you, treat that as a red flag.
No. Everything on this site is educational. For advice specific to your situation, consult a licensed attorney, tax professional, or financial advisor.
A temporary arrangement offered directly by your card issuer — reduced rate, waived fees, or a modified payment plan — for qualifying financial hardship. See our credit card hardship guide.
Call the number on the back of your card, explain your situation plainly, and ask what hardship or forbearance options they offer. Our hardship guide covers how to prepare for the call and what to ask.
A session with a certified counselor who reviews your full budget and, if it fits, sets up a debt management plan (DMP) that repays your cards on one coordinated schedule — often with reduced rates the agency negotiates. See our credit counseling guide.
A DMP repays your balances in full on better terms; it is not the same as resolving accounts for less than the balance. Our counseling guide explains what to expect and the questions to ask before signing.
Focus on on-time payments, keep balances low, and consider a secured card used carefully. Scores usually recover over months as positive history builds. See our credit rebuild guide for a realistic first-year roadmap.
Yes — licensing, fee timing, disclosure requirements, and statutes of limitation all vary by state. See our state rules guide.
Answer a few quick questions and we will follow up with options tailored to you. Secure & confidential. No obligation.