If you are in debt, and anxious to find a way out, you might need to consider the ratio of debt to the score of your credit before you take any action at all.
Don't worry - this isn't some complicated math problem that you are going to have to figure out.
Instead, it is just simple information that you need to seriously consider.
If your debt has reached a level where you really don't care about your credit score - or your credit has already been negatively affected, you really don't have anything at all to consider, other than the fact that you need a debt settlement company to help you get out of debt.
However, if your credit score is important to you, and it is still decent, you need to understand the impact that a debt settlement will have on your credit score before you take any action.
You might find, if your credit is really that important to you at this point, that you are better off with a debt consolidation loan instead of an actual debt settlement.
If you do decide to go forward with a debt management, you will find that the damage done to your credit is minimal, and it is easily repaired later on.
The fact of the matter is, if you are trying to get out of debt, you really don't need excellent credit at the moment, since you shouldn't be applying for any additional credit at this time.
What you need to know about the debt consolidation loan option, however, is that in most cases, you will end up paying more to your creditors than you would if you got a debt settlement.
As you can see, each option has a disadvantage - except in the case where your credit doesn't matter at all to you.