Consumer Credit Counseling Services

Our Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS) agency has compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions to address any topics that may remain unanswered. If you would like to schedule an appointment to talk to one of our credit counselors, feel free to contact us at 877-524-9990.

1. What happens during a credit counseling session with your CCCS agency?
2. Will creditors know what I have sought credit counseling assistance from a CCCS agency?
3. Can your CCCS agency stop creditor legal action and phone calls from debt collectors?
4. Are most creditors willing to work with your CCCS agency?
5. Will seeking debt assistance from your CCCS agency ruin my credit?
6. Will your CCCS agency help me clean up my credit report?
7. Will your CCCS agency stop interest from being charged on accounts if I enroll in a Debt Management Program?
8. Do I get to keep my credit cards if I enroll in a Debt Management Program?
9. Should I continue to work with creditors when seeking credit counseling assistance from your CCCS agency?
10. How will I know that I need help with my finances?
11. How is the amount paid to each creditor determined if I enter a Debt Management Program?
12. How long will it take to pay off my debts if I decide to enter a Debt Management Program?
13. What qualifications do your counselors have?
14. Do I have to come into an office to receive credit counseling services from CCCS?
15. Are Debt Management Programs the only option available?

1. What happens during a credit counseling session with your CCCS agency?
   During your confidential session with our CCCS credit counseling agency, your credit counselor will thoroughly review your income, debts (secured, and unsecured), and living expenses. Your credit counselor will help you to identify positive strides that you are already making to address your financial situation, and provide educational information to help you in the future. Your credit counselor will assist you in developing an action plan to help you reach your personal financial goals. All of our CCCS credit counselors are certified as through the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC), and have experience in financial services and counseling.
2. Will creditors know that I have sought credit counseling assistance from a CCCS agency?
   Our CCCS agency does not contact creditors until you give us written permission to do so. It is our recommendation to our credit counseling clients that you keep your creditors informed of your financial situation when you are seeking assistance. It shows that you are serious about repaying your debts. Not keeping creditors informed often makes a serious situation even more so because they may believe that you are trying to avoid repaying.
3. Can your CCCS agency stop creditor legal action and phone calls from debt collectors?
   Our CCCS agency is here to assist you in resolving your debt issues before legal actions begin. In the majority of cases our agency is able to work with your creditors to achieve a positive solution that will satisfy everyone. This will hopefully stop potential legal action and most phone calls from debt collectors. If you decide to enroll in a Debt Management Program the majority of phone calls from collectors cease as long as you maintain your Debt Management Program payment arrangements through our CCCS agency.
4. Are most creditors willing to work with your CCCS agency?
   Creditors understand that our CCCS agency has helped over a million clients by providing quality financial education and credit counseling assistance. That is why most of them are supportive of our organization and the services that we provide. Our trained, professional and certified credit counselors will evaluate your situation and help you come up with the best alternatives to solve your debt problems. Additionally, we have a strong team of client service representatives that can also assist you with ongoing questions.
5. Will seeking debt assistance from your CCCS agency ruin my credit?
   The goal of our CCCS agency is to provide financial education and help you find solutions to your financial problems. If you choose to enroll in a Debt Management Program it is up to the individual creditor how your account is reported to credit bureaus. The fact that you enroll in a debt management plan is not a factor in determining your credit score and we are not a credit reporting agency. Making debt payments to our CCCS agency on time each month creates a positive payment history with your creditors and if you continue to pay on time it will eventually help to improve your credit history.
6. Will your CCCS agency help me clean up my credit report?
   No one can remove negative information from your credit report if the information is accurate. However, through our CCCS agency, regular monthly payments can help improve your pay history. It also improves your credibility with individual creditors. The main goal of our CCCS agency is to provide financial education and counseling assistance. This can lead to an improved quality of life. In addition to our credit counseling sessions, our CCCS agency offers a credit report/credit score services which can help you understand how to improve your credit report.
7. Will your CCCS agency stop interest from being charged on accounts if I enroll in a Debt Management Program?
   Our CCCS agency works with creditors in a Debt Management Program to reduce your interest rate and reduce or eliminate fees. Creditors generally require 3 monthly payments to be made as agreed before concessions begin. During the 4th month, concessions are typically granted (reduction of interest and reduction/elimination of fees). You will need to monitor this closely since you will continue to receive monthly statements from your creditors.
   
   The majority of creditors do not stop interest while you are enrolled in a Debt Management Program. Our NFCC-approved CCCS agency works with most creditors to reduce your interest rate and fees. You will continue to receive monthly statements from your creditors and will be made aware of any waiver of charges, and what is being paid on the account.
8. Do I get to keep my credit cards if I enroll in a Debt Management Program?
   A large portion of the initial and ongoing education that you will receive from our CCCS agency's credit counselors is the importance of becoming debt free. If you are attempting to resolve your debt issues it is not wise to continue incurring debt. Upon acceptance into a Debt Management Program, you will be expected to close all but one major credit card (to be used for emergency only, making reservations/confirmations, etc.). Your credit counselor will work with you closely to make this decision and explain the importance of why this is necessary. Our CCCS agency will provide financial education to help use credit more responsibly and prevent future debt problems.
9. Should I continue to work with creditors when seeking credit counseling assistance from your CCCS agency?
   We ask that you respond to your creditors in a positive way when they contact you. Explain that you are using our credit counseling services and give them the information that they request. However, do not make additional payment arrangements that conflict with the arrangements made through our CCCS agency. Call us, or have the creditor call us if there is a request for additional money. We need to know while you are participating in our Debt Management Program.
10. How will I know that I need help with my finances?
    As a general rule of thumb, ask yourself these basic questions: Am I paying for normal monthly essentials (groceries, utility bills, and gasoline) with credit cards? Am I only able to make a minimum monthly payment to my creditors? Do I sometimes have to skip a payment to make ends meet? Am I receiving collection calls at work or home? Are my debts causing significant stress in my life? If you answer yes to any of these questions, you could benefit from speaking with a credit counselor at our NFCC-approved Consumer Credit Counseling Services agency to learn more about your options and how we may be able to help.
11. How is the amount paid to each creditor determined if I enter a Debt Management Program?
    If you are a candidate for a debt management program, the amount that you pay is determined by the total amount of your debt, your income, and your living expenses. One of our CCCS agency's credit counselors will include this information along with providing financial education, specific recommendations that are tailored to your situation, and a detailed action plan during your credit counseling session.
12. How long will it take to pay off my debts if I decide to enter a Debt Management Program?
    The amount of time that it takes to pay off debts in a Debt Management Program is determined by several factors including the amount that is owed to each creditor and the specific creditors that you owe. In addition to the financial education and action plan that is provided during every credit counseling session our CCCS agency's credit counselors, we will provide you with a payoff estimate for your debts.
13. What qualifications do your counselors have?
    Our certified credit counselors have many years of experience working in the field of financial services and credit education. Our credit counselors are held to high standards which require them to attend regular training and receive continuing education credits each year in order to improve and enhance their financial counseling skills. In addition, all of our CCCS agency's credit counselors are required to receive certification from the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC), the nation's oldest and most respected credit counseling organization.
14. Do I have to come into an office to receive credit counseling services from CCCS?
    Our CCCS agency offers counseling options that are designed to meet the needs of the consumers that we serve. Credit counseling and education is available in person in several locations from coast to coast. In addition we offer the same counseling services via the convenience of telephone and the Internet. You decide which credit counseling option is best for you.
15. Are Debt Management Programs the only option available?
    No, our CCCS agency offers financial education, credit report, and credit score counseling in addition to budget counseling and debt management programs. One of our CCCS agency's certified credit counselors will review your specific financial situation and recommend the appropriate course of action. A debt management program may be the most appropriate option for your specific situation.