Getting Help with Your Debt

There are several organizations and services that can help you manage and reduce your debt for free or at a very low-cost.

1. Financial Debt Repair and Housing Classes
Debt problems can lead to missed rental payments, which can damage your rental history. These classes can teach you how to repair your credit, remove rental barriers, and also show you how you can work towards buying a home.

• Open Door Counseling Center
  Offers free one-on-one financial counseling to help you get your debt under control, create a budget, and learn how to save. Also offers first-time homebuyer workshops that include: renting vs. buying, "How much can you afford?" obtaining a mortgage, shopping for a home, and how to prevent foreclosure on your mortgage. Provides additional homebuyer education via cable TV (channels 11 & 21). Visit their website or call (503) 640-6689 for more information.
• Ways to Work
  Teaches working parents financial skills like budgeting and offers low-interest loans to buy a car. Learn how to reduce your debt, set long-term financial goals, and improve your credit rating. If you need transportation for work, childcare or school, Ways to Work offers loans to buy, repair, or refinance a car. Learn more about the program or call Metropolitan Family Service at (503) 232-0007, extension 303.
• Housing Connections (under HOT Housing News)
  Repair your credit and create a workable budget in these free or low-cost Ready to Rent 4-6 week classes. Find a class offered near you or call the Ready to Rent Hotline at (503) 802-8315 for more information.
• ACORN Housing
  If you are a homeowner, are in debt, and you’re facing foreclosure, call ACORN Housing at (503) 788-9989 to see how they can help you.

2. Consumer Credit Counseling Services
A good consumer credit counseling service will:

• review your financial situation
• advise you on how to manage your money
• help you develop a personalized plan to pay off your debt
• may suggest a debt management plan where:
  • you make a single payment each month to the counseling service and they distribute the payment among your creditors
  • Often your creditors will reduce or eliminate their finance charges when you use a consumer credit counselor

Learn how to find a good consumer credit counseling service.

3. Non-credit classes at Portland Community College (PCC)
Learn how to get rid of your debt and manage your money through several Community Education classes offered by PCC, including an online Debt Elimination course ($79). You will not receive college credit for these classes. Visit PCC online or call (503) 244-6111 or 1 (866) 922-1010 (toll-free) to sign up for a class to learn how to manage your debt.

4. Debtor’s Anonymous Meetings
Debtor’s Anonymous has regular, free meetings where you can get help and support from people who are dealing with debt and overspending. Get times and locations of meetings or call (503) 972-8576.

5. Bankruptcy Clinics
If you believe that your debt is so large that bankruptcy is your only choice, you can attend a free bankruptcy clinic in Beaverton to learn more about bankruptcy, what your rights are, and what you might be able to do to avoid it. There are also a limited number of appointments after the clinic where you can meet with a lawyer for free. The lawyer will review your situation and tell you if you should file for bankruptcy.

To learn more about the clinic and how to meet with a lawyer, call (503) 224-4086 and ask them to send you the packet of information about the bankruptcy clinics. The packet includes the times and places of the clinics and information about how you can get help.

It is not recommended that you file bankruptcy on your own. If you decide you want to file for bankruptcy, proper planning could save you thousands of dollars. If you cannot attend the Bankruptcy Clinic, find and choose a lawyer here.