Q: What should I ask a potential credit counselor?

A: Good credit counselors are trained financial professionals with a passion for helping people over their heads in debt. Unfortunately, there are more than a few bad apples in the industry. These people pray on the shame and lack of financial education of their customers. The main way to sniff out a no-good counselor is to take charge in your first meeting with her. Start by asking the following questions and evaluating her answers:

Do you have free materials for me to review? Credit counselors are supposed to be educators, so the answer should be "yes." If it's not, be concerned.

What are your fees? If she refuses to give you a straight answer, take your business elsewhere.

Will I need to sign a contract? Make her answer yes or no. All promises must be put in writing. If you are presented with a contract, take it home and read it. Ideally, you should have it reviewed by an attorney.

What are your qualifications? The quality of credit counselors varies greatly. Don't settle for anything less than a true professional with ample experience and/or training.

How do you make your money? Many credit counselors are covert debt collectors, buddy-buddy with your creditors and looking out for their interests, not yours. You need to know who is paying your credit counselor (in addition to you) and what for.

Do you have a written privacy policy? Don't allow your information to be sold. If the company doesn't have a policy, then they're not professional -- look elsewhere.

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