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A Non-Profit Consumer Credit Counseling Organization Big Solutions, Inc. Financial Centre West 1761 W. Hillsboro Blvd. Suite #409 Deerfield Beach, FL 33443 Payment Address: P.O. Box 866 Deerfield Beach, FL 33443-0866 Phone: 866-249-0343 Fax: 954-481-3456 |
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What Is Big Solutions?BSI, or Big Solutions, Inc. is a charitable and educational Consumer Credit Counseling and Debt Management organization, operating under the strict guidelines of the IRS non-profit code 501 (c)(3) and all State mandated requirements. We are firmly dedicated to educating the public with important and useful information on personal money management, such as buying practices, budgeting, and the sound use of consumer credit. BSI provides customized counseling and educational support to low-income individuals and families without charge. All BSI Counselors are certified by the National Institute of Financial Education as well as the Institute on Financial Literacy. Big Solutions has received ISO 9000:2001 accreditation and is a member in good standing of the Better Business Bureau of South Florida. Services and SupportIndividualized Professional CounselingBig Solutions, Inc. partners closely with families and individuals to help resolve stressful money management issues and set realistic, attainable financial goals. Our certified, professional counselors will always work diligently to provide you with the most appropriate debt management solutions, based on your unique personal and financial circumstances, and clearly explain the advantages and disadvantages of all available options. There is never a charge for this service. Please be assured that information obtained in counseling sessions is considered extremely confidential. It is used solely to determine and develop the best and most realistic course of remedial action. The purpose of these sessions is to provide constructive advice, continued support and personalized assistance so that you can successfully meet your current and future objectives. Customized Educational ToolsEducation is the cornerstone of our commitment. Big Solutions, Inc. will offer you various learning tools and resources, on an on-going basis, such as books, internet links, videos and other very helpful information specifically tailored to address your personal situation, and circumstances. We provide an extensive and diverse range of education programs to match all our client’s needs, the needs of our community, and the needs of the general public. Easy to understand, educational resources are available to everyone, despite your ability to pay for these materials. Our workshops, seminars and one-on-on educational presentations include topics such as:
Budgeting PlanningA certified BSI counselor will ask you a series of questions to help better understand your economic profile and the main cause of your personal financial problems. The answers to these questions will provide a solid foundation for your customized budget and will be the basis on which we can determine which programs will best suit your situation and needs. It is critical that you provide us with the following information about your household:
What is your monthly housing payment? Do you own an automobile? What is your monthly automobile payment? How much are your average monthly utility bills? How much are your average monthly grocery bills? How much are your monthly insurance bills (medical, home, automobile, health, etc.)? Are you married? Do you pay child support? If so, how much? Do you pay for child daycare? If so, how much? What are your other monthly expenses? Do you have monthly medical expenses? If so, how much? Do you have any outstanding loans? If so, how much? Do you have credit card bills? If so, please itemize balances owed on each. Are you current or behind with your credit card bills? If so, how late are the payments on each card? Are you employed? What is your monthly take-home pay? Is your spouse employed? What is his/her monthly take-home pay? Do you have any additional monthly income (i.e. Social Security, Disability, Pension Plans)? Describe in detail all special circumstances. Timely Seminars and Workshops
1761 West Hillsboro Boulevard - Suite 409 Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442
1761 West Hillsboro Boulevard - Suite 409 Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442
1761 West Hillsboro Boulevard - Suite 409 Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442
1761 West Hillsboro Boulevard - Suite 409 Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442
1761 West Hillsboro Boulevard - Suite 409 Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442
1761 West Hillsboro Boulevard - Suite 409 Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442
1761 West Hillsboro Boulevard - Suite 409 Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442
1761 West Hillsboro Boulevard - Suite 409 Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442
1761 West Hillsboro Boulevard - Suite 409 Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442
1761 West Hillsboro Boulevard - Suite 409 Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442
1761 West Hillsboro Boulevard - Suite 409 Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442
1761 West Hillsboro Boulevard - Suite 409 Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442 Please call us at 954-698-6262 to reserve a seat. Always check this website for future seminars and workshop topics and dates. Big Solutions regularly distributes free educational information, debt management tools, and offers counseling, at the following locations:
Creditor-Approved Debt Management ProgramsMost creditors have agreed to offer special repayment arrangements to consumers who qualify for enrollment in our Debt Management Program. This often includes substantially lowering monthly payments and interest rates, as well as waiving late fees and penalties. A majority of lenders will bring your account “current” if you have fallen behind with your monthly payments. If your BSI counselor recommends a Debt Management Program, upon receipt of your completed application, we will formulate and return a Payment Plan for your review. This individualized plan specifically details what type of repayment arrangements each of your creditors will accept. BSI then adds all payments together into one affordable consolidated monthly amount. Once BSI receives your first monthly payment, all creditors will be immediately notified that you have enrolled in our Debt Management Plan and appropriately adjust your interest rates and account status, as described in your personal Payment Plan. BSI issues disbursements to each of your lenders within one week of payment receipt. You will continue to receive your monthly statements directly from your creditors, confirming that an accurate payment has been posted to your account, and interest has been reduced as described in your Payment Plan. Please be assured that you are under no obligation to BSI when you return this application. It is used only to formulate customized repayment arrangements. Your creditors will not be contacted until you have qualified to enroll in our program, and all information sent to BSI is kept strictly confidential. BSI requests a one-time enrollment fee between $1.00 and $50.00 (only after you have reviewed and accepted your personal repayment plan), as well as a monthly maintenance fee between $1.00 and $35.00, based on your individual situation, the state in which you reside and creditor guidelines. These fees help us meet the operating expenses necessary to continually provide the very highest level of customer support. Please note that fees are not considered tax deductible items. In some instances fees can be waived, due to hardship, inability or unwillingness to pay. BSI’s Debt Management Program is individually designed for eligible consumers who are currently delinquent in debt repayment. We will review the budget information you provide in your initial counseling session to make certain this is your most viable option. If you are presently current with your credit card payments, but are experiencing special personal circumstances, please provide your BSI counselor with a detailed explanation. Your BSI counselor will need current statements for all accounts entered in the Debt Management Plan. Enrollment in BSI’s Debt Management program is generally regarded as far preferable to bankruptcy, debt settlement, or ignoring your repayment obligations. However, please be aware that your decision to work with BSI might be reflected by the various credit bureaus as a negative notation that could possibly affect your future ability to obtain credit. Financial Counselors are available to discuss all other repayment options with you, at no charge. By continuing to make full monthly payments to BSI, per your repayment schedule, on a regular 30-day cycle, your outstanding debt should be paid-in-full within approximately five years. Once enrolled in BSI’s Debt Management program, you cannot open new or additional lines of credit without prior approval which may, or may not, be given dependent upon circumstances. Creditors are not obligated to reopen credit upon completion of Plan. BSI will calculate your Repayment Plan based on the outstanding balances you provide on your application. It is extremely important that all account information is current and accurate. Creditors will “close” credit cards placed on Debt Management Program. All credit cards must be included in your Repayment Plan. You may exclude one card for emergency use only. If you have more than one card with a particular lender, all of them must be added to your Repayment Plan. Big Solutions Inc. requires that you agree to regularly scheduled, frequent, and documented counseling sessions. Failure to continually and actively participate in scheduled counseling sessions, either by telephone or in person, can result in being terminated from our Debt Management Program. There is no fee involved. During the first three months of enrollment in our DMP, counseling sessions are scheduled on a monthly basis. From month four to month twelve, counseling sessions occur at least once every sixty days. Upon successful completion of the first year, counseling sessions will be scheduled quarterly. Creditors reserve the right to exclude cards opened within the last nine months. Please note that some creditors contribute financial assistance to BSI to help defray our operational expenses. Please complete the Debt Management Eligibilty Questionnaire at the followning link: Helpful Internet Sites and Online SupportThis section is devoted to providing links and contact information in many areas of personal finance and professional referrals. Resources include health care, childcare, housing, marriage counseling, substance abuse counseling, suicide prevention, career development, credit reporting, legal services, stress management and more. Call us if you need additional help. Counselors are available Monday through Friday from 8:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. and by appointment, if necessary. You may also email any questions and concerns to: DebtSolutions@MyBSI.org. Useful Phone NumbersAbuse Registry: 1-800-962-2873 Alcohol Abuse: 1-800-252-6465 Federal Information Center: 1-800-688-9889 Federal Tax Information: 1-800-829-1040 Florida Relay Center: 1-800-955-8770 Gamblers Hotline: 1-800-426-7711 Homesavers: 1-800-452-9572 Jumpstart Coalition: 1-800-45-EDUCATE NCPCF: 1-800-583-2964 Suicide Hotline: 1-954-537-0211 Mental Health Crisis: 1-954-463-0911 Checking Credit BureausIf you are applying for a loan or credit, records of your previous dealings with someone else's money are vital. Whether you get that credit card, or not, may depend on a network of credit reporting agencies that either share information with, or are owned by, three major credit bureaus. This report is often a critical factor in credit scoring systems that lenders use to issue credit cards as well as mortgages or other loans. So, if you're considering making a major financial move it's a good idea to check your credit report to know where you stand. That way you can be aware of, and if necessary take care of, problems before they jump up and derail your plans. If you find problems, or if potential creditors discover them, take steps to rebuild damaged credit and clean up that record. If you've made mistakes in paying previous loans, bounced checks, made late payments or had other problems, you may still be able to reduce the amount of damage they will do to your credit with explanations or some basic repair. Obtaining copies of your credit reports is easy. Thanks to a 2004 Federal law, everyone is entitled to one free credit report from each of the main credit reporting agencies -- Equifax, TransUnion and Experian each year. You must request your free credit reports through a centralized source. To order online, visit www.annualcreditreport.com. By phone, call 877-322-8228. Or, write to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA, 30348-5281. The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish (bilingual counselors are available to take complaints), or to get free information on any of 150 consumer topics, call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357), or use the complaint form at http://www.ftc.gov. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. Three other opportunities to receive a free copy of your credit report: 1. If you applied for a loan and were turned down, you can request a copy by writing the correct credit bureau within 30 days of the rejection. With your request, you should include a copy of the declined loan application. 2. You can also get a free report if you are unemployed, planning to apply for jobs in the next 60 days, receiving public welfare assistance or believe the credit file contains mistakes resulting from fraud. 3. Some states already offer a free annual credit report from each of the three agencies. Residents of Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey and Vermont are entitled to one free series annually. Georgia residents are entitled to two free annual credit reports from each credit reporting agency. BankruptcyUSDOJ/U.S.Trustee Program - http://www.usdoj.gov/ust/ American Bankruptcy Institute - http://www.abiworld.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home Federal Trade Commission - http://www.ftc.gov/ Consumer InformationBetter Business Bureau - http://welcome.bbb.org Florida Attorney General - http://myfloridalegal.com Other Helpful LinksCredit and Debt Calculators Controlling Debt Good Debt Vs. Bad Debt Five Ways To Destroy Your Debt Making A Budget Establishing A Budget Canceling A Credit Card May Hurt Your Credit Score Credit Card Offers: How To Find The Catches Revolving Credit Is Great When You Don't Abuse It 10 Bad Credit Habits That Will Lead To Disaster Credit Cards: What's Wrong With This Bill How Many Credit Cards Should You Have 10 Debt Consolidation Myths Alarming Credit Card Tricks How To Fix Credit Report Errors Credit Cards Vs. Debt Cards 10 Things Your Credit Card Company Won't Tell you 12 Questions To Ask About Balance Transfers A Bankruptcy Counseling Session - What To Expect Bankruptcy Credit Counseling Gets Mixed Reviews Personal Finance Glossary Eight Reasons To Manage Debt In 2008 Yes, You Can Get Out of Debt Credit Cards Offer Discounts On Medical Expenses Caution: Stay Well Below Your Credit Limit Mortgage, Home Equity, Auto and Savings Rates In Your Area Don't Let Debt Get You Down Know What Information Lenders Have On You A Credit Card You Might Want To Toss Majoring In Credit Card Debt - The Dirty Secret of Campus Credit Cards Credit Card Survival Guide Money and Marriage Creating A Budget |
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