Debt Counselors of America Help Debtors Avoid Filing Bankruptcy

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Close to 1 million Chapter 7 bankruptcies were filed in 1997. Without the Debt Counselors of America (www.dca.org), the number could have been higher. Acting as a liaison between the debtor and creditor, the nonprofit group devises consolidation and payment plans to help monetarily challenged Americans.

"Most people in debt do not want to declare bankruptcy, but that is what the [lawyers'] radio, television and newspaper ads tell them to do," said Steve Rhodes, president of Debt Counselors of America. "The credit-card companies and banks do not want the consumer to go bankrupt either, but they are working with an individual who is in trouble, embarrassed and doesn't realize they can find help beyond declaring bankruptcy."

Begun in 1994, the DCA has recently seen the fruition of its master plan to provide the bulk of its services and information over the Internet. About 40 percent of its clients contact the …