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CalculateBenefits

Debt & Credit Help

Legitimate debt relief options, your rights with collectors, and how to spot the services that make things worse.

Guides

What Debt Collectors Can and Cannot Do Under Federal Law

Learn what debt collectors can and cannot do under federal law — call limits, required notices, disputes, and protections for your benefits.

Debt Settlement vs. Debt Consolidation vs. Bankruptcy: An Honest Comparison

Debt settlement, consolidation, and bankruptcy compared in plain language: real costs, credit effects, and which option may fit you.

How to Spot a Debt-Relief Scam: The FTC Red Flags

Simple signs of a debt-relief scam: asking for money first, guarantees, and fake government programs. Where to report scams and find free help.

Medical Debt and Your Credit Report: The Current Rules, Explained

Medical debt can still show up on your credit report after a 2025 court ruling. Paid bills, bills under $500, and bills under a year old should not.

In Default on a Federal Student Loan? Here Are Your 3 Paths Back to Good Standing

Behind on a federal student loan? Learn the 3 free ways back to good standing — rehabilitation, consolidation, or paying in full — and how to start.

What Actually Happens in a Nonprofit Credit Counseling Session

What happens in a nonprofit credit counseling session: what to bring, how the hour works, what it costs, and how to find a real agency.

Grants to Pay Off Debt: The Truth and Real Alternatives

Learn why broad debt grants do not exist, which real programs may lower specific bills, how to spot scams, and where to get free help.