Get Help Paying Off Credit Card Debt
Free nonprofit credit counseling can help you understand your options and determine whether a Debt Management Program could lower your interest rates and simplify your monthly payments.
Located in San Diego, our customer-service oriented team has helped consumers pay back more than $325 million in credit card debt through our Debt Management Program.
How can we help you today?
- See How Much I Can Save
- Talk to A Credit Counselor
- Free Consultation • No New Loan • No Obligation to Enroll
Credit Card Payoff Calculator
See How Long Your Credit Card Debt Could Take to Pay Off
Credit Card Payoff Calculator
Credit Card Debt Payoff Calculator
Getting Help With Credit Card Debt Is Simple
1. Tell Us About Your Debt
Review your balances, interest rates, payments, income and expenses with a certified credit counselor.
2. Review Your Options
We'll help you determine whether paying the debt yourself, creditor hardship assistance or a Debt Management Program may be appropriate.
3. Choose What Works for You
If a Debt Management Program makes sense, you'll receive estimated creditor terms, payment information and a projected payoff timeline before deciding whether to enroll.
Free credit counseling. No obligation to enroll.
Which Credit Card Debt Solution Is Right for You?
There are several ways to deal with credit card debt. Compare some of the most common options below to understand how they work and which may fit your financial situation.
| Feature | DIY Payoff | Consolidation Loan | Debt Management Program | Debt Settlement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New loan required? | No | Yes | No | No |
| Repay full balance? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Usually no |
| May reduce interest rates? | No | Potentially | Potentially | Not applicable |
| One monthly payment? | No | Yes | Yes | Varies |
| Credit cards generally closed? | No | No | Yes, enrolled accounts | Often become delinquent |
| Credit counseling included? | No | No | Yes | No |
| Designed to repay debt? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Designed to settle for less |
| Credit Score Requirement? | None | 670+ | None | None |
Not Sure Which Option Is Right for You?
A free credit counseling session can help you review your credit card balances, interest rates, monthly payments and budget to determine which repayment options may make sense.
Get a Free Credit Counseling Session
Free consultation. No obligation to enroll in a Debt Management Program.
Get out of debt with our help!
We provide you with options for getting your finances in order so you can stay on track and achieve your life goals.
Do I Need Credit Counseling?
Do I Need Credit Counseling?
Take our quick quiz to determine if you are a candidate for Credit Counseling
Do I Need Credit Counseling?
Credit Counseling & Debt Management Services
Our mission is to help our clients eliminate credit card debt and also adopt healthy financial behaviors. Ultimately achieving financial freedom.
- To do this we offer free Credit Counseling Sessions. Clients receive a complete budget analysis. Additionally, we provide practical solutions to paying off debt.
- Debt Management Program. Take advantage of lower interest rates and lower monthly payments. Consequently, becoming debt free in three to five years.
Credit Card Payoff & Other Finance Calculators
Use our free financial calculators to enhance your financial health.
- Credit Card Payoff Calculator. Input your current credit card payment amount. As a result, find out your pay off date.
- Debt to Income Ratio Calculator. Find out your DTI. Also understand what most lenders use for their guidelines.
- Net Worth Calculator. Find out the most important number in determining your financial health. And ways to increase your net worth.
Financial Education, Counseling & Events
We offer a variety of free resources to help you improve your financial literacy. Not only can you improve your financial education, but also become debt free.
- Credit Coaching. Meet with our Credit Score Coach for personalized tips to improve your credit score.
- Free Financial Education Workbook. Learn best-practice personal finance habits with our FREE financial literacy workbook.
- Because Financial Education can lead to wealth.
Find Help With Your Credit Card Company
Select your credit card company to learn about hardship programs,
payment assistance options and how nonprofit credit counseling may help.
Don't See Your Credit Card Company?
DebtWave works with many participating creditors. A free credit
counseling session can help determine what options may be available
for your accounts.
Struggling With More Than One Credit Card?
A nonprofit credit counselor can review all of your credit card
balances, interest rates and monthly payments to help determine
whether a Debt Management Program or another repayment strategy
may make sense.
Get a Free Credit Counseling Session
Free credit counseling. No obligation to enroll in a Debt Management Program.
Paying your bills on time
When you can pay expenses on time you can avoid penalties and minimize interest charges.
Building your savings
Adding money to your savings regularly so you have money available for rainy days and retirement.
Planning for your future
Knowing how much you need to save, forecasting expenses and being ready for suprises.
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Find Credit Card Debt Help in Your State
Select your state to learn more about credit counseling, Debt Management Programs and options for getting help with credit card debt.
DebtWave helps consumers across the country explore options for credit card debt. Availability of specific Debt Management Program services varies by state. If DebtWave cannot directly provide a service in your state, we may be able to connect you with another agency that can help.
Accordions
Yes. DebtWave offers a free initial credit counseling session to help you review your credit card debt, monthly payments, interest rates, income and household expenses.
There is no obligation to enroll in a Debt Management Program simply because you speak with a counselor.
During your credit counseling session, a certified credit counselor will review your overall financial situation, including your income, expenses, credit card balances, interest rates and monthly payments.
The goal is to help you understand your options and determine whether your current repayment strategy is working or whether another approach may make more sense.
Depending on your situation, your options could include paying the debt off yourself, making changes to your budget, working directly with creditors or considering a Debt Management Program.
A Debt Management Program, or DMP, is a structured repayment plan designed to help consumers pay off eligible unsecured debts such as credit cards.
Instead of managing multiple payments to participating creditors, you make your scheduled Debt Management Program payment, and funds are distributed to the creditors included in your plan.
Participating creditors may also offer concessions such as reduced interest rates or payments according to their individual program guidelines.
No. A Debt Management Program is not a debt consolidation loan, and you do not borrow new money to pay off your credit cards.
Your existing eligible debts are repaid through a structured plan administered by a credit counseling organization.
This can be especially helpful for consumers who want to simplify their credit card payments without taking on another loan
Simply speaking with a credit counselor does not change your interest rates.
However, if you qualify for and choose to enroll in a Debt Management Program, participating creditors may provide concessions that can include reduced interest rates or payments.
The specific terms available depend on your creditors and accounts, so DebtWave cannot guarantee a particular interest rate before reviewing your situation.
No. It's actually preferred that you are current with your credit card payments. But we can help if you are up to a couple months behind too.
Many people seek help because they are making every payment on time but their balances are barely decreasing, interest charges are consuming too much of their payments, or they are worried they may eventually fall behind.
You do not need to wait until you miss payments to explore your options.
There is no specific amount of credit card debt required to receive credit counseling. However, for our debt management program, we recommend to have at least $7,500 in order to see good savings in interest.
A better question is whether your current repayment strategy is working.
It may be worth speaking with a counselor if you are:
- Making mostly minimum payments
- Carrying balances on several credit cards
- Paying high interest rates
- Watching your balances decrease very slowly
- Using credit cards for regular living expenses
- Worried that you may soon miss payments
- Unsure how long it will take to become debt-free
Even if you are unsure whether you need professional help, a free credit counseling session can give you a clearer picture of your options.
Debt Management Programs are generally designed as multi-year repayment plans.
DebtWave programs typically aim to help clients repay enrolled debts within approximately three to five years, although the actual repayment period depends on factors such as your balances, creditors, interest rates and monthly payment. Some creditors have started offering 72 month DMPs which helps lower payments even more than the traditional DMP.
Your counselor can provide a more personalized estimate after reviewing your accounts.
Simply speaking with a credit counselor does not automatically hurt your credit score.
If you enroll in a Debt Management Program, credit card accounts included in the program are generally closed, which can affect factors used to calculate credit scores.
Everyone's credit profile is different, so DebtWave cannot guarantee what will happen to an individual's credit score.
The primary goal of a Debt Management Program is to help you successfully repay your debt and improve your overall financial situation.
A Debt Management Program generally focuses on repaying the balances you owe under a structured repayment plan.
Debt settlement typically involves attempting to settle debts for less than the full amount owed and may involve allowing accounts to become delinquent before settlements are negotiated.
These approaches can have very different financial and credit consequences.
A credit counseling session can help you better understand your situation before choosing a debt-relief strategy.
Potentially, yes.
One of the main advantages of a Debt Management Program is that multiple eligible participating unsecured accounts may be included in one structured repayment plan.
For example, you may have balances with several different credit card companies, each with its own payment, interest rate and due date.
A credit counselor can review each account and explain which creditors may participate and what the proposed repayment plan could look like.
Credit counseling may be worth considering if your credit card debt is becoming difficult to manage or if you simply want an objective review of your finances.
Ask yourself:
Are my credit card balances consistently going down?
Can I afford more than the minimum payments?
Do I have a realistic plan to become debt-free within the next few years?
Can I pay my credit cards without having to use them again for basic living expenses?
If you answered “no” to several of these questions, a free credit counseling session may be a useful next step.
You can get started by completing DebtWave's online credit counseling process or speaking with a credit counselor over the phone.
The initial counseling session is free, and you can review your options before deciding whether you want to enroll in a Debt Management Program.
There is no obligation to enroll simply because you request help.
*Based on DebtWave clients enrolled in Debt Management Programs from 2016–2020. 10,038 of 14,670 clients successfully completed their program.