By Center for Personal Finance editors

Are you one of the 13 million Americans carrying a credit card balance of $10,000 or more from month to month? Or one of the 58 million who admit to not paying their bills on time (National Foundation for Credit Counseling)?  Or do you simply worry about what you owe and wish you could get a handle on your debts?

Certified credit counselors can help you with current debt troubles and money management and financial planning skills that can head off problems in the future.
The Credit Union National Association's (CUNA's) News Now reports that a new law won't automatically ease your concerns, but will point you toward help.  Beginning Feb. 22, 2010, your credit card issuer must include a toll-free phone number on your statements for information about credit counseling. 

"Nonprofit counselors offer their services to the public at no charge because they receive their funding from financial institutions," explains Philip Heckman of CUNA's Center for Personal Finance. "Lenders don't do this for charity. They do it in the belief that when borrowers learn to manage credit—whether motivated by desperation or mere discomfort—they become less likely to default on their loans." 



 Find a certified credit counselorCertified credit counselors can help you with more than relief from current debt troubles. They also can show you money management and financial planning skills that can head off problems in the future.

"Look for affiliation with the National Foundation for Credit Counseling," Heckman says. Or, "Many credit unions have certified counselors on staff. Because you're a member-owner, your credit union is keenly interested in your financial security."