SANTA CRUZ — Shortly after Vikas Kedia’s San Francisco software startup folded along with the dot-com bust in 2001, he got into financial trouble and found himself wading through the complexities of debt settlement, debt consolidation and bankruptcy.

As a result of the experience, Kedia started a business in 2003 called Debt Consolidation Care in Santa Cruz, where he now lives.

Kedia was 24 when he got himself $30,000 in debt.

"There were two options, consolidate or settle," Kedia said. "And I just didn’t know the difference, and no one was explaining it to me."

He started on a settlement program but became concerned about the potential damage to his credit and left the program. Eventually, he got a job and paid off the debt.

"I’ve been through that whole process of being in debt and getting out of it, and going through the process I realized how much misinformation was out there," said Kedia. "I wanted to put something out that would help other people."

His Web site, an information clearinghouse and credit counseling and referral service, can help clear up the difference between debt settlement and debt consolidation, and help determine which is right for a particular person.

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Among the free resources the site offers are discussion boards, recommendations to debt consolidation firms throughout the country, law summaries by state and debt counseling and analysis.

Visit www.debtconsolidationcare.com or call (866) 396-1309.

Contact Gwen Mickelson at gmickelson@santacruzsentinel.com.