Instead of signing up with the first company that promises to painlessly eliminate your debt, you should start by contacting your local Consumer Credit Counseling Service agency. These agencies are members of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling which is accredited by the Council on Accreditation for Children and Family Services, Inc. In addition, all of their credit counselors are certified through Accel eMedia, Inc. These agencies provide many counseling and education services for credit, debt, and budget management.

The rest is here:
An Honest Place to Go For Debt Consolidation