Debt help: a practical self-help checklist (not a debt company)

Searching for debt help often leads to debt relief company ads. This page is different: a self-help checklist you can run in your browser — no signup, no credit pull, and no promise to erase balances.

What this page is (and is not)

We provide calculators and planning guides. We are not a debt settlement company, credit counselor, or lender. If you need nonprofit credit counseling, look for agencies affiliated with the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) — we do not sell those services.

1. List every balance

Write down each card and loan with APR, minimum, and current balance. Enter them in the debt payoff calculator so you can see a debt-free date under snowball or avalanche.

2. Protect minimums, then add extras

Pay every minimum on time. Route leftover dollars to one priority account. For cards alone, use the credit card payoff calculator; for the minimum-payment trap, see minimum payment trap.

3. Check whether new borrowing fits

Before a personal loan or refinance, estimate debt-to-income with the DTI calculator. High DTI is a planning signal — not a denial letter.

4. Be careful with consolidation pitches

Moving debt can help only when total interest and fees fall. Read should you consolidate credit card debt and model transfers in the balance transfer calculator before you apply.

When to get human help

If you cannot cover minimums, face lawsuits or wage garnishment, or need a hardship program, talk to a nonprofit counselor or a licensed attorney in your state. Calculators do not replace that advice.