News : Government programs, debt consolidation may help pay down student loans

source : debtconsolidationconnection.com
By Peggy Stillwell on Apr 11th, 2010

Government programs do exist to help those in financial trouble put food on the table or pay for medical expenses.

However, as the effects of the last recession are still felt, more people may find they have to rely on the assistance provided by Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the latter more commonly known as food stamps.

According to a report from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, SNAP saw a 32 percent increase in Georgia from December 2008 to the same month in 2009. During that time, Medicaid recipients also went up by 9 percent. But the paper noted the state is planning on reducing the number of workers who administer the program by 137 people.

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Link to a forum : "Consumer Credit Counseling Service and DMP"

Opening date of this forum : Nov 13 2008
( 4 posts )

Opening post of this forum :

"How is somebody with debt and expenses over their monthly income suppose to save any money. Or even budgeting for that matter. If you only paying your necessary expenses and your Credit Cards and Car loans, and have nothing or less then nothing left over, what do you do? We have 2 cars because there is no reliable or safe public transportation that can take us to work and to and from the babysitter everyday. We have internet because of work ans school. Not for entertainment.
"Karla with a K" has written some really good things on this thread. And would love her advice.
I am paying ruffly 700 dollars a month to my unsecured debt. And 500 dollars a month to secured debt. I have an appointment with CCCS on Tuesday to hopefully enter their DMP program. DO you Karla or any other person familiar with CCCS, know if they recomend me to bring all my "debt" or just the unsecured one? I am not late on my secured debt ( carloans )and the interest is low ( around 5 % ) but the payments are very steep. I could really benefit from a reduction of 300 - 400 dollars a month in debt payments. Is that even possible with CCCS?
Thanks in advance.

And to all of you who is struggling everyday to get by to suport yourself and your family. There are many of us out there and you can always come here for support. I even would suggest citydata to give financial hardship its own forum."

see this forum

Link to a forum : Advice on consumer credit counseling?

First comment from this forum :

"My debt payments are straining my income to the breaking point. I do not want to declare bankruptcy, I am not able to secure any loans, and do not have house equity to cover my debts.

The good news is I have a steady job and brighter prospects for the future.

I have been advised to work with CCCS -- Consumer Credit Counseling Services -- to set up a payment plan for my debts. I have also been told of an outfit called Curadebt (www.curadebt.com) that claims to not only consolidate your bills, but negotiate some down.

Do any of you have additional advice or comments on these approaches? Thank you very much."

see this forum at : http://forums.kiplinger.com/showthread.php?t=3707

Article : Consumer Credit Counseling Services

By Cindy Holbrook

Real Estate Plus Editor

Does the dream of owning a home seem impossible? Are you struggling to make ends meet? Are your bills bigger then your paycheck? Are you only able to make the minimum payments on your credit cards?

Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS) a local, nonprofit credit counseling agency, can help you solve your credit and debt problems. Our certified credit counselors can show you how to take control of your money and achieve your financial goals. Consumer Credit Counseling Service is a program of Lutheran Social Services of Mid-America and a member of the National Foundation of Credit Counseling.

Debt Management Program - Get out from under you financial burdens and set a course for a debt-free future through our Debt Management Program. The first step is to contact us by phone, email or website. We will send you a worksheet to complete, which includes your income and expenses, and a list of your creditors. Then contact us for an appointment. At your confidential appointment, a certified counselor will complete a budget assessment by reviewing your income, expenses, and debt levels. They will assist with identifying problems and the need for appropriate referrals. You may find that assistance with financial management is all you need to get back on track.

However, many people find they will benefit from our Debt Management Program, where we work with creditors to reduce monthly payments and interest to affordable levels until your debt is paid in full. As the only local credit counseling agency in the Miami Valley, you have your choice of in-person, telephone, or internet counseling. So, if you feel you are getting overextended, give us a call. We can’t help you if you wait too long.

Credit Report Reviews - Uncover the mystery of your credit report. These confidential sessions will explain your credit report, help you identify and address any problems and show you how to protect yourself from identify theft.

Consumer Education Programs - Learn more about a wide variety of consumer financial topics through our educational programs. A large selection of classroom and community presentations covering topics like budgeting, credit, debt management and banking basics is available.

Default Mortgage Counseling - Bring your mortgage up-to-date and keep it that way. Through individual counseling sessions we’ll help you explore all the possible solutions to prevent losing your home and analyze your cash flow to see how your income stacks up against your expenses. We’ll try to negotiate a solution with your loan provider. And we’ll help you prioritize your debts to avoid a situation like this in the future.

Springfield Office - Consumer Credit Counseling Service, 204 N. Fountain Avenue, Springfield, Ohio 45504, 937-325-2898 or 1-800-377-2432. Website: www.cccsmv.org.

The above information was provided by Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Miami Valley.

USDA Funding

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers an exciting loan option in mortgage financing for eligible home loans: NO DOWN PAYMENT HOME LOANS. The loans are provided through USDA©ˆs Rural Development Program, and are available to purchase homes located in rural areas. Also, with the USDA loan program, your monthly payment may be subsidized, lowering your monthly payment and increasing the loan amount for which you are eligible. The objective of the program is to help lower income families or individuals who do not qualify for a home loan through conventional financing. This allows people to purchase a home now rather than later or in some cases, never. With the use of these no down payment loans and the payment subsidy, thousands of families who could not afford a home through conventional lenders now enjoy owning their own home. For further information, please contact the Hillsboro Office USDA Rural Development at 514 Harry Sauner Road, Hillsboro, Ohio 45133, or at (937) 393-1921.

Appeared in the March 12, 2006 issue of Real Estate Plus

source : http://realestate.springfieldnewssun.com/springfieldnewssun/featuredarticle.jsp?pg=featuredarticle20060312_2.htm