Q. I read your article concerning what to do to make your credit rating better. My problem is I am so far in debt($26,000) I am thinking of trying bankruptcy. What can I do and is there a company that gives loans to stupid people like me? My rating is probably the lowest it can get. I had a high rating of 700 just three years ago. I am at my wit's end in knowing what to do and where to turn for help.

A. You need to work with a credit counselor who can:

• Negotiate with your creditors to forgive some of your debt and establish a realistic, 36- to 60-month repayment schedule for the balance.
• Get them to reduce or waive many of the late fees and other penalties they've imposed.
• Stop most, if not all, of the harassing phone calls you're undoubtedly getting from collection agencies.
• Help you reestablish credit after your debt is paid.

Unfortunately, some of the most-heavily promoted "non-profit credit counselors" are really in it for the money. Your money. And you've got to avoid them.

So we recommend that you go to www.nfcc.org. The National Foundation for Credit Counseling is the nation's biggest and oldest credit-counseling organization. Its 120 member agencies abide by a set of professional and ethical standards that have served many individuals and families very well over the past 50 years.

To find a member agency near you, click on "Consumer Debt Advice" on the left-hand side of the page, and then on "Member Agency Locator" under "Contact Us" on the second page. Use the "Zip Code Search" to get a list of nearby agencies. Click on the individual agencies to find everything from fees to office hours.

The fees will be very modest. Many NFCC members charge nothing to review your finances and less than $100 to establish a debt repayment plan.