Dallas, Texas / The numbers are staggering. Consumer bankruptcy rates have jumped more than 34% since 2008, with more than 126,000 Americans filing in July 2009 alone according to the American Bankruptcy Institute and CNNMoney.com. However, a Dallas debt settlement company is suggesting these numbers don’t have to be so high.

Debt Settlement America has seen an influx of new customers who have seen their personal finances change dramatically over the last year and who need guidance on debt management. Greg O’Connell, president of Debt Settlement America, says the correlation between the rise in the nation’s unemployment rate and the increase in the number of his customers is natural.

“We have a situation in our country where there are fewer people working, but just because their job goes away, doesn’t mean their bills do,” says O’Connell. “What’s happening is consumers are looking for the most viable option to manage their debt and that’s where we come in.”

O’Connell says in some cases, the most viable option for some of his customers is, in fact, bankruptcy. However, he says consumers need to understand their options. Too often, he says, customers think bankruptcy will be a cure-all that completely wipes their financial slates clean. That’s not always the case. New bankruptcy laws keep bankruptcies on a credit report for ten years and, in some cases, can even increase monthly debt payments. Debt Settlement America strives to create an informed consumer so that the company can help them find the best debt management solution.

“The key is education; that’s our motto and that is the absolute key when it comes to debt management,” says O’Connell.“Debt settlement is not for everyone. Bankruptcy is not for everyone. And, consumer credit counseling is not for everyone. But, the effort of our consultants is to educate every consumer who calls.”

Each customer who calls Debt Settlement America deals directly with an individual consultant who then goes over their debt management options.These consultants are certified by the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators and Debt Settlement America is a long-standing member of The Association of Settlement Companies (TASC). The company is the first debt settlement company to be accredited for the third straight year by BSi Management Systems, earning its third consecutive TASC Best Practices Certification.

To learn more about your debt options, feel free to contact the Dallas debt settlement company at www.debt-settlement-america.com or 1-866-387-3328.

About Debt Settlement America:  Debt Settlement America is often recognized as the best debt settlement company by its clients. The company helps customers through its program designed to renegotiate the amount of debt the customer owes so the amount paid is less than the amount owed, but is still accepted as a full payment of the debt. The Dallas debt settlement company is the first of its kind to be accredited for the third straight year by BSi Management Systems, and has earned its third-straight Best Practices Certification from The Association of Settlement Companies.