Who Can Help Me Pay Off My Debt?

Spoiler: It’s probably not who you think.

When you’re finally ready to get your finances in order, debt is usually one of the first things on your mind. Let's be honest, it's usually "pay off my debt, and then I'll get my finances in order." And it makes total sense; you're paying interest, juggling minimums, and wondering if it'll ever end. So when you start building a financial team, it feels natural to assume that everyone you hire will help you fix it or at least have debt as top of mind as you do. 

After all, debt is a money problem… so any money expert should help, right?

Not exactly.

Just like you wouldn’t ask your wedding photographer to fix your hair and makeup, not every financial professional is equipped—or even willing—to deal with your debt. And a lot of folks who do mention it? They don’t go deeper than “you should pay that off.”

Let’s bust some myths about who actually helps with debt.

💰Myth: A financial planner will help me pay off my credit card debt.

Reality: Most financial planners don’t touch it.
They’re focused on your long-term wealth strategy (i.e., retirement, investments, college planning), not your day-to-day money habits. If you bring up your $22K in credit card debt, they might nod and move on… or tell you to just “pay it off.” They might tell you to stop investing until it's paid off or to pull from cash savings to get rid of it. But they’re not building you a debt repayment plan. They're not saving you money on interest, and they're not analyzing how your debt repayments impact your day-to-day comfort. That’s not what they’re trained to do. 

🏡 Myth: My mortgage lender can help me manage my debt.

Reality: They care about your debt only if it affects them.
Mortgage lenders assess your debt-to-income ratio and your credit score when evaluating your loan. If it gets in the way of their ability to approve your loan or offer you a good interest rate, they’ll flag it. But they’re not there to help you understand it, heal your relationship with it, or change the behaviors that got you there.

💸 Myth: Debt is a personal failure, and I should figure it out on my own.

Reality: Debt is a financial and emotional challenge, and you deserve support.
That’s where a financial coach comes in. A coach will sit with you, look at every number, help you prioritize which debts to pay first, explore things like balance transfers or interest negotiation, and build a real, sustainable plan. We work on the strategy but also combatting the shame.

No matter what anyone tells you, debt is emotional, and pretending it's not is a recipe for continuing the debt cycle. By understanding who can help you, you address the patterns of behavior, budgeting, and rebuilding your confidence.

So… Who Actually Helps You Deal With Debt?

❌ Your financial planner? Nope.

❌ Your mortgage lender? Only if it affects your loan, and they won’t help you build a debt repayment plan. They’ll just tell you to pay off your debt. 

✅ Your financial coach? 100% yes.

If you’re ready to stop spinning and finally see a path forward.