THE NINE-POINT DEBT TEST

Don Badders, president of the nonprofit National Foundation for Consumer Credit, compiled this credit quiz. If you answer “Yes” to two or more of these questions, you should seek professional financial help, Badders says.

Are you borrowing to pay for items you used to buy with cash?

Is an increasing percentage of your income going to pay debt?

Is your savings cushion inadequate or non-existent?

Can you only make the minimum payment on your revolving charge account?

Are you near or at the limit on your lines of credit?

Do you take out a new loan before the old one is paid off or take out a new one to pay off the old loan?

Are you unsure about how much you owe?

Are your monthly credit bills--excluding rent or mortgage payments--more than 15% to 20% of your net income?

If you lost your job would you be in immediate financial difficulty?