4. Contact with Creditors
   Once you have an agreement in place with debt services, a debt counselor will begin calling your creditors. He or she will explain that you are getting professional assistance with your debt and will try to persuade creditors to lower or remove late fees and other penalties. Since debt counselors are especially trained, in many cases creditors will agree to more reasonable payment terms. At this point, you should also stop getting collection calls.

5. Extras
   Depending on the debt management service you have signed up with, you may also get some extras. You may get debt education, seminars, or workshops to help you understand debt. You may get additional counseling sessions to monitor your progress, or you may also be able to sign up for debt consolidation loans or other services to help you manage your finances. Ask your debt counselor to find out exactly which services are offered and which would be the best for you.

6. Debt Payment
   At this point, you will be asked to send in payments to the debt management firm. This money will be used to pay your creditors. Depending on the service and depending on your debts, you may need to keep in sending money for up to three or even five years in order to pay off your debts. Often, during this time you will be asked not to take out new debts. This is so that you and the debt settlement company can work at repaying what you owe. At the end of this process, you should have a better life - one that is free of the burden of debt.

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