Get Clarity Before You Choose.
In under 10 minutes, build a private Financial Snapshot that helps you compare every debt-relief option — so you can make confident, informed decisions and avoid costly mistakes.
What you’ll get
Answer a few simple questions to build your Financial Snapshot.
Reuse your Financial Snapshot instead of repeating your situation to every attorney or company.
No phone number required. Your information is only shared when you choose.
Connect with trusted local attorneys, nonprofit credit counselors, and debt professionals using your completed Financial Snapshot.
Why Spend 10 Minutes?
Ten minutes now can save you months of second-guessing and thousands of dollars in the wrong direction.
- Avoid Costly Mistakes
Making the wrong debt-relief choice can cost thousands of dollars and years of your life.
- Stop the Overwhelm
Instead of researching endless options and reading confusing articles, get personalized clarity in one place.
- Reduce Stress Fast
Knowing your options helps you sleep better tonight, not months from now.
- Get Ready for Professionals
Walk into any consultation prepared, informed, and confident — not confused or pressured.
A Simple, Guided Process
Four straightforward steps. No sales calls. No pressure.
- Step 1
Tell Us About Your Situation
Answer a few guided questions about your debts, income, and goals.
- Step 2
Get Your Financial Snapshot
See a clear, organized picture of where you stand today.
- Step 3
Compare Your Options
Review every debt-relief path side-by-side with estimates for your situation.
- Step 4
Choose Your Next Step
Explore on your own, or share your Snapshot with a trusted professional when you’re ready.
What You’ll Walk Away With
A clear picture of your finances, a side-by-side comparison of your options, and confidence in whatever you decide next.
Compare Every Option
See bankruptcy, debt management, debt settlement, consolidation, and other options side-by-side.
Compare All Debt Relief OptionsEligibility Review
Understand what programs or solutions may fit your financial situation.
How Estimates WorkProfessional Review
Share your Financial Snapshot with trusted professionals only if you choose.
How Professional Help WorksReady to begin?
Explore Common Debt Relief Questions
Learn about common debt-relief questions before starting your private assessment. Each guide explains the topic in plain English and links back to the assessment when you are ready.
Could I Qualify for Chapter 7?
Learn how income, household size, expenses, and the two parts of the Chapter 7 means test may affect eligibility.
Learn About Chapter 7 EligibilityHow Is a Chapter 13 Payment Estimated?
Understand how income, expenses, assets, secured debts, and legal rules may affect a Chapter 13 payment.
Learn About Chapter 13 PaymentsHow Does Debt Settlement Work?
Review how settlement negotiations, savings, payment timing, risks, and possible tax consequences may work.
Learn About Debt SettlementHow Does Debt Management Work?
Learn how one monthly payment, possible creditor concessions, fees, and repayment timelines generally work.
Read the Debt Management GuideWant estimates based on your own situation?
Compare Debt Relief Options
Learn how common debt-relief paths differ in payment structure, timeline, credit impact, eligibility, legal protection, and important tradeoffs.
Debt Management
A structured repayment program that may reduce interest or fees on participating unsecured accounts.
- Often considered by
- People who can repay enrolled debt but need a more manageable payment.
- Important tradeoff
- Usually requires consistent monthly payments for several years.
Debt Settlement
Negotiating with creditors to resolve unsecured debt for less than the full balance.
- Often considered by
- Hardship on unsecured debt with capacity to save toward lump-sum offers.
- Important tradeoff
- Credit impact and possible tax consequences on forgiven amounts.
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
A court process that may discharge qualifying unsecured debt in a matter of months.
- Often considered by
- Lower-income households with mostly unsecured debt and few non-exempt assets.
- Important tradeoff
- Not everyone qualifies, and it remains on your credit report for years.
Chapter 13 Bankruptcy
A 3–5 year court-supervised repayment plan that can stop foreclosure or repossession.
- Often considered by
- Households with steady income who want to protect a home or vehicle.
- Important tradeoff
- Requires completing a multi-year plan before debts are discharged.
Debt Consolidation
Combining multiple unsecured debts into a single loan with one monthly payment.
- Often considered by
- Fair-to-good credit with steady income looking to simplify payments.
- Important tradeoff
- Doesn't reduce total debt; qualification and rate depend on credit.
Self-Payoff
Repaying debt on your own using strategies like avalanche or snowball.
- Often considered by
- People with manageable balances and room in the budget to accelerate payments.
- Important tradeoff
- Works only when income comfortably covers minimums and extra payments.
How AskSteveFirst Works
Answer guided questions once. Your Financial Snapshot organizes what you shared, compares possible debt-relief paths, and gives you something useful to keep, download, or share when you choose.
- Mortgage$168,400
- Auto loan$12,900
- Home equity$41,000
- Savings$2,300
- Debt Management$820 · ~48 mo
- Debt Settlement$540 · ~36 mo
- Chapter 13$610 · 60 mo
- Self-Payoff$960 · ~54 mo
- Review and update your answers
- Download a PDF copy
- Share only when you choose
- 1Tell Us What Is Going On
Answer guided questions about your debts, income, household expenses, assets, priorities, and concerns. No phone number or email is required to begin.
- 2Build and Compare
Your answers are organized into one Financial Snapshot and used to compare possible payments, timelines, eligibility factors, risks, and tradeoffs across multiple debt-relief paths.
- 3Keep Control of What Happens Next
Review or change your information, download a PDF for your records, continue exploring on your own, or share your Snapshot with a professional only when you request help.
Return to your Snapshot and correct or add information as your situation changes.
Use the same information to review Debt Management, settlement, consolidation, bankruptcy, and self-payoff.
Save a clear summary of the financial information and estimates shown in your Snapshot.
Send your Snapshot to a professional only when you choose to request guidance.
Build Your Financial Snapshot
Start privately, answer at your own pace, and leave with an organized summary you can review, download, or use to compare your next steps.
Learn more about how we protect your information and what is shared during a professional review on our professional-review page.
Ready to see how these options fit your situation?
Compare your options privately