I’m not sure if this program is the one I really want to work with or not. I searched for ‘American Debt Relief’ reviews without success, but I did like what they had to say. This company is run by lawyers, not some guy working out of a boiler room in a call center. They don’t try to promise that they’ll negotiate your debt with your creditors. Instead, they offer to guide you through bankruptcy. Now I know what you’re thinking: bankruptcy is not for me. Either you believe there is still a stigma attached to it, or, like many Americans, you feel (justly I think) that you should pay the debts you incurred. Or maybe you believe you’d lose your home or car if you declare bankruptcy. Whatever the case may be, let me offer you some basic information about bankruptcy:

• It is not a legal way to cheat. Bankruptcy has serious consequences. It stays on your credit record for ten years. It will affect your credit for years after you finish the proceedings. In addition, your bank figured in the possibility of you declaring bankruptcy when they gave you a loan. They understand that sometimes debts can become overwhelming and that the only way to get out is a clean slate. While they may not like it, they accept it as part of doing business.

• Bankruptcy does not have the stigma it once did. It used to be that admitting you were gay, admitting to having had an affair and admitting to having declared bankruptcy were three of the worst taboos in American culture. These days, gay couples adopt children and can marry in several states, adultery is understood as something that may happen but that couples get through and move on from and Bankruptcy? Bankruptcy is something that you did because you had a problem and needed to find a way to get past it. It’s not the end of the world and people understand, especially with the terrible economy that you may need to do it in order to make it through tough times.

• It doesn’t have to mean dropping all your debts. Bankruptcy can also include arranging a payment plan for your debts, similar to a debt consolidation program, but in this case, the courts will force the bank and your other creditors to accept a compromise. You can then go in with a clear conscience, knowing you paid your debts in good faith, but also getting the clean start you desperately need.