If you're not in deep debt, I'm sure you have one friend or family member -- if not more -- who is. Before we entered this recession, Americans were piling charges on their credit cards, and a 6.7 percent unemployment rate (as of Dec. 5) certainly isn't helping the case.

Coming out of the holiday season, during which you may have added to your load considerably, your debt can feel even more overwhelming. So maybe you made a New Year's resolution to make significant strides to pay down, if not eliminate, that black cloud over your head. How do you know if you can do it on your own or if you should give in and enlist the help of a credit counselor? In general, credit counseling is for people who are budgeting with a fine-tooth comb, scraping together every extra penny, clipping every coupon that comes in the mail, and yet still can't find a way to pay down their debt.

The right counselor will put you on a debt management program (often called a DMP) that will arrange to help you pay off what you owe at lower interest rates. Essentially, they negotiate with your creditors to give you a break. How much of a break? That depends on the creditor, not you or the counselor's bargaining skills: Credit card companies generally have a schedule of interest rate breaks that they are willing to give. Fees and other penalties are generally waived, too, which can lead to huge savings if you've been delinquent on payments.

Keep in mind, though, that it's not as easy as it sounds. You don't walk in the door of a counseling agency and walk back out debt-free a few minutes later. In exchange for the reduction in what you owe, you'll need to agree to stop using your credit cards and not apply for additional credit. Once you do, and the program is set up, you'll start making payments to the counseling agency instead of the creditor, usually by electronic debt collection. The agency will then distribute the money to your creditors, taking a monthly fee in the process. You'll pay an upfront fee, too, when you enroll in the program: $75 upfront and $35 to $50 a month is fairly standard.

Think this sounds like the solution you've been looking for? Here's what you need to know:

-- Shop around for agencies. You can't assume that every company you turn up in a Google search is legitimate -- in fact, many are not. Narrow your search to a few nearby (I prefer you go see a counselor in person rather than work exclusively over the phone) and then make sure that they are not-for-profit agencies recognized by the Better Business Bureau, with no history of complaints. They should also be members of either the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) or the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies. Once you have a list of names, call each and ask for a free consultation. They should spend half an hour or more with you going over the details of your debt. Keep in mind that credit counseling isn't for everyone. "When you talk to a counselor, if they realize that they won't be able to get you completely out of debt within three to five years, bankruptcy is a more realistic option," says John Ulzheimer, credit expert at credit.com.

-- Don't procrastinate. The longer you let your debt pile up, the worse the situation gets. Even if at this point, you're still making the payments on time, but you see difficulty in your future, call a counselor and have them go over your accounts. A good agency won't charge you for this initial meeting, so there's no harm in finding out what solutions are available to you. The same goes for your creditors. As soon as you realize you might start slipping behind on your payments, pick up the phone and approach your creditor honestly, says Gail Cunningham, spokesperson at the NFCC. Trying to duck a creditor --- or ignoring calls and letters -- only digs you into a deeper hole.

-- Understand the effect on your score. There are a lot of misconceptions about this, but truth be told, credit counseling probably won't do any damage to your score in the long run. It could show up on your credit report that you're in a debt management program, but when you start the process, your credit is likely already going to be trashed from months of missed payments and a high utilization ratio (which means you're using too much of the credit that you have available to you). Throughout the repayment process, you'll probably be able to bring your numbers up because the service will help you pay on time and lower the amount of debt you're carrying. In fact, when you emerge from the hole, you may very well come out with a better score.