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Credit card debt has never been a bigger problem in the United States. More and more individuals have found themselves pretty much up to their ears in money owed and requests from creditors to pay it all back. It can begin to be significantly overwhelming, and when you finally decide that it’s time to find a solution and look for some help in settling your debt, there are a few different ways to go about it. Whether you go with a firm that will help you negotiate your debt, or talk to the credit card companies yourself, there are a few things you should know about the process. By avoiding the following misconceptions, you’ll be able to come out of the credit card debt settlement process with minimal damage.

1. Anyone Can Cut Their Debt in Half. You can’t get your debt settled or negotiated just because you want to. If the credit card’s going to listen to you, you’ll have to first get in line, and then be able to prove that you’ve got a legitimate reason for needing to have your debt negotiated. If you’ve temporarily lost your job, or come across some kind of medical emergency, then you’ll have a legitimate excuse for needing some help. The credit card company will need to be able to rest assured that whatever happened to you was out of your control.

2. You Have to Pay Someone. It’s entirely possible to negotiate your credit card debt and come to some sort of agreement without hiring the services of a credit settlement firm. A lot of these companies are just charging you to do work that you can totally accomplish on your own, anyway. If you’re honestly in a rough situation and have the documentation to prove it, then you don’t need to worry about hiring some to go to bat for you.

3. Your Word Is Good Enough. While it’s true that honesty and integrity will be your best friends while you’re trying to negotiate a solution to your insurmountable credit card debt, it’s still also true that for whatever the reason you’re unable to meet your financial commitments. For this reason, you’ll need to do a little more than just make promises to show your creditors that you’re taking steps to make sure this sort of situation never happens again. Get with a credit counseling agency and this will help your creditors understand that you’re doing what it takes to make sure they get their money and don’t have to worry about you defaulting ever again.

4. Your Credit Score Will Be Fine. Make sure you don’t mistakenly assume that you can get your credit card debt negotiated and escape with your credit score relatively unscathed. Think about it: your credit score is supposed to be a numerical reflection of how reliably you pay off your debts. If you’ve needed to go to your creditors and negotiate a solution because you can’t afford to pay off your debt in the terms upon which you had agreed, don’t you think it’s fair that your credit score reflect this? Your credit score isn’t set in stone, but if you run into serious financial trouble and have to ask your creditors for help, then it’ll be reflected in your score.

5. You Can Get Your Debt Cleared Completely. If you can convince your credit card company that you need some help and they’re willing to give it to you, they’re not just going to absorb your debt and send you home with a gift basket, thanking you for your patronage. You won’t even get your debt slashed cleanly in half — usually, the most a credit card company will do is make an arrangement for you to pay off the debt in a way that works for you. Having already spent that money, you will be obligated to pay it back — the credit card company might very well be willing to work with you on the best way to do that, however.

With mobile credit card processing available pretty much everywhere, it’s never been easier to run up some serious credit card debt. It’s important that we always remember to spend our money responsibly and avoid giving away funds that we don’t have. If you do find yourself in a financial pickle, however, avoiding these five misconceptions will help you ease your way out of it without too much difficulty.