Answer "True" or "False" to the following questions, and then tally your score. Use the interpretation of results at the bottom to determine whether or not you are a candidate for credit counseling.
- I normally pay only the minimum amount due on my credit card bills.
- My credit card balances increase each month.
- There are arguments in my home about money.
- I sometimes hide purchases from my spouse.
- I frequently charge items that I used to pay for with cash.
- I have thought about filing for bankruptcy.
- I have begun using cash advances to meet my obligations.
- Most of my credit cards are near the limit, so I've begun applying for new lines of credit.
- I do not know the total amount that I owe.
- I skip paying my bills some months, or pay late.
- I have depleted my savings.
- I am consumed with thoughts of my debt.
- My debt interferes with my job and/or home life.
- Collectors have begun contacting me.
- I have taken money from my retirement account to satisfy debt obligations.
- If I lost my job, it would mean an immediate financial crisis in my life.
- I use balance transfers.
- I have no emergency savings account.
- Next month's bills arrive before I've paid this month's.
- I do not open my bills when they arrive, or soon thereafter.
If you answered "true" to more than three of these questions, you would benefit from credit counseling with a trained, experienced and certified counselor. Call GreenPath at 1-877-332-2235.