Watching for early signs of bankruptcy.

• Position: Your Life - Brief article

Nonbusiness bankruptcy filings more than doubled from 2006 to 2009 and, in 2010, they have increased almost 20% from 2009. The Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies (AICCCA), Fairfax, Va., urges consumers not to wait to get help if they are struggling financially or they may be too late to avoid bankruptcy.

"Consumers seeking help from our member offices are more and more often coming in too late to benefit from a debt management plan," indicates Dave Jones, president of AICCCA. "In the recent past, our member offices were able to help 20% to 25% of the consumers who came to us solve their debt problems with a DMP, but now it's only about seven percent to eight percent."

AICCCA warns that, if you are experiencing more than two of these early warning signs, seek help now:

* Carrying credit balances in excess of 10% of your annual income.

* No money or an inadequate amount...