Debt Information

    • Debt Help USA No matter what your financial problems, there are methods, means, and if required, Certified Credit Counselors available to provide you with a fresh, stress-free beginning.
    • Debt Comparison According to the Federal Reserve, 43% of American families spend more than they earn.
    • Debt to Income Ratio Your debt to income ratio is another indicator of your current level of indebtedness and the potential you may have for future debt problems
    • Debt Management Debt management runs the gamut from creating a budget to filing for bankruptcy but in every case you must begin with an honest look at your debt problem.
    • Debt Management Budget A budget will provide you with a cold, hard look at your financial situation and is recognized as the first step in effective debt management.
    • Debt Warning Signs In addition to your debt to income ratio, there are several warning signs that it may be time to seek professional help.
    • Debt Consolidation When you consolidate debt, you usually combine several high-interest debts into one debt management plan payment at lowered interest rates
    • Credit After Debt Consolidation Pay your bills on time. The credit scoring system first considers your payment history
    • Recently, Bank of America purchased credit card firm MBNA and Citibank began gobbling up retail store cards. Only the future will tell how this will affect consumers
    • Consumer Debt Some consumer debt statistics published on the Internet are misleading.
    • Credit Card Debt Almost half of the citizens of the United States of America suffer with credit card debt.
    • The Federal Reserve System If you're wondering why you pay such high credit card interest rages, read up on Interest Rates and the Federal Reserve.
    • Loan Shark or Loan Officer In my humble opinion there is very little difference between the despicable loan shark and my friendly loan officer at the neighborhood bank.
    • Credit Counseling & Banktuptcy Individuals who wish to file a bankruptcy petition are now required to undergo credit counseling.
    • Credit Counseling Services Certified credit counselors assist you in getting your debt under control. They provide you with the information needed to manage your finances into the future, to build wealth, and to create and maintain personal financial independence.
    • Credit Counselor Requirements Last year, the House of Representatives and the Senate each passed a different bankruptcy reform bill containing wide-ranging changes in the bankruptcy laws applicable to individuals.
    • Debt Repayment Plans Nonprofit credit counseling services offer a variety of services that may include counseling, debt repayment plans, and education.
    • How Do Credit Counseling Services Operate? The organizations receive funds from creditors in the form of a negotiated percentage fee based on payments transmitted to the creditors through clients' debt repayment plans.
    • Standards for Approval The United States Trustee Program develops standards for approval of credit counseling services throughout the country.
    • Free Credit Report You are now able to obtain a free annual credit report from each of the nation wide consumer reporting companies.
    • Free Credit Rating Report Everyone has seen it on the Web. Get your “Free Credit Report! Instantly!” And with a click of a mouse you get sucked in and scammed by one of the many credit report “impostors” that have infested cyberspace.
    • Your Access to Free Credit Reports The Federal Trade Commission’s position on your Access to Free Credit Reports
    • Bankruptcy Some can’t get past the stigma, others see bankruptcy as a tool but the majority of people filing for bankruptcy are decent folk like you or me.
    • Bankruptcy Facts In the year 2003, one in every 73 American households filed for bankruptcy.
    • Famous Bankrupts “You're fired!” That’s right the Donald himself fell pray to the bankruptcy courts!
    • Bankruptcy Court The objective of a bankruptcy court is to give an honest debtor a "fresh start" by relieving them of the majority of their debt
    • Bankruptcy Documents These are the documents that you need to start your bankruptcy.
    • Bankruptcy Law The new bankruptcy law will affect all people filing for bankruptcy
    • Credit Counseling Requirement Individuals who wish to file a bankruptcy petition are now required to undergo credit counseling through an approved credit counseling service within 90 days before filing the bankruptcy petition.
    • Chapter 7 Bankruptcy The court liquidates all of your assets and dispenses them amongst your creditors in exchange for erasing your debt.
    • Chapter 11 Bankruptcy A Federal Bankruptcy Act where a business debtor can maintain control of its business and operations, under court supervision, as long as current debts remain paid.
    • Chapter 13 Bankruptcy In a Chapter 13 agreement, the court enforces a debt repayment plan that allows you to keep your property.
    • Filing for Bankruptcy: All the rules have changed as of the April 20, 2005
    • Involuntary Bankruptcy There are occasions where your creditors may petition for an involuntary bankruptcy against you.
    • United States Trustee Program The United States Trustee Program is the component of the Department of Justice that protects the integrity of the nation's bankruptcy system.
    • The Federal Reserve System There is much confusion regarding the Federal Reserve System. The Federal Reserve System operates like a private corporation.
    • Fed Boosts Rates Again August 9, 2005: The Federal Reserve raised the target for a key short-term interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point for the 10th consecutive time Tuesday. The move was widely expected on Wall Street, as several recent economic reports have indicated that the economy remains relatively strong.
    • Fed hikes rates, says Katrina impact appears temporary Federal Reserve policymakers lifted their base rate by a quarter-point to 3.75 percent, saying that Hurricane Katrina is likely to have only a temporary impact on the US economy. It was the 11th consecutive rate hike by the central bank's Federal Open Market Committee, which devoted much of its statement to Katrina's impact.
    • Loan Shark or Loan Officer A loan shark is a person (usually mob connected) that loans money at interest rates exceeding the interest rate allowed in a given state. These amoral, unethical gentlemen make their own rules and levy late penalties as they wish without concern for the debtors' health or well-being. These ‘businessmen’ are guilty of the crime of usury; a moral and ethical crime that targets the new middleclass, the working poor.
    • U.S. Interest Rates by State The maximum legal interest rates, by state. Where, exactly, are the headquarters of the major credit-card companies? Hmmmm …

Revison: October 14th, 2005

“Debt Help for a Changing World”

Welcome to DebtHelp-USA.info

Our never-ending quest to provide you with solutions to your debt related problems has provided the added benefit of charting our editorial course. By answering the topical debt questions we receive, DebtHelp-USA.info deals in subjects that reflect today’s financial concerns. We wish to take this opportunity to thank those that have provided questions, comments, article ideas and editorial content for this website. Your input is essential and greatly appreciated.

This week we attempt to answer Warren B. of Tennessee’s question, “With mortgage rates at an all time low, why are my credit card interest rates at an all time high?”

Well Warren, you aren’t alone in wondering about this one. We liked your question so much it became the feature article of the week. “Just Who Sets Interest Rates Anyway?”

Unable to let sleeping dogs lie, Mel Goodman has once again stepped into the fray with his article, “Loan Shark or Loan Officer” in which he finds more similarities than exceptions. “Charging economically vulnerable Americans outrageous interest rates and fees is simply not acceptable”.


In this week’s ‘new Bankruptcy Law’ series, we have a closer look at the Homestead Act. (Proof positive that in some states, you can take it with you).


One of the main reasons that we undertook the construction of this website was the alarming increase in debt related illnesses brought on by debt related stress. Should you feel a bit stressed out we highly recommend you try the stress test. It’s very short and amazingly insightful.

Revison: September 19th, 2005

“Debt Help for a Changing World”

Welcome to DebtHelp-USA.info

This week we investigate the new Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 and how it affects us all.

We will be publishing an on-going series of articles investigating each of the 25 changes implemented by this law and how the changes work to determine your financial destiny. This week we investigate the ramifications of the new “Means Test” and in a related article, the FTC warnings when engaging the services of a credit counselor.

Federal ReserveI recently came across some new information from our friends at the Federal Reserve on household finance. I don’t know if this will come as a great surprise but the Monetary Policy Report to Congress (July 2005), reported that in the first quarter of 2005, household debt increased at the alarming annual rate of about 9.25%. Reflecting the rapid pace of household debt growth, the ratio of house-hold financial obligations to disposable personal income has edged up from a year earlier. Thankfully, our debt-to-income ratio is still not at the scary levels experienced in 2002.

In a testament to most American’s commitment to fulfill their obligations, delinquency rates on credit card debt and auto loans have continued to decline from already low levels.

The only bump in our fiscal road is the current pace of bankruptcy filings which are running a little higher than the same time last year; however, that pace is probably caused by a rush to file before the new rules in the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 take effect in October.

Relevant articles to this week's theme of Bankruptcy Law can be viewed below.

Editor's Choice:

Suggestion Box

If you have an article suggestion, a nagging debt question, or an opinion on any debt related subject, we would love to hear from you.