The Credit Counseling Professionals
Call Toll Free 1-800-769-3571
Q. What is the cost of your counseling and budget consultation?
A. Our counseling session and budget consultation is free. Our counselors will provide you with a free analysis to help assess your financial situation and determine your best options.
Q. Do you loan money?
A. No. ACCC is not a lending institution. We work with creditors on your behalf to establish an affordable new payment arrangement, which may include benefits such as a reduced interest rate and no late or overlimit fees, allowing you to pay off your debt more quickly. We collect one monthly payment from you and disburse your payments to your respective creditors.
Q. What is the cost of the Debt Management Program?
A. There is a one-time fee of $39 for enrollment. There is also a monthly maintenance fee of $3 per account with a minimum of $5 and a maximum of $35. Fees may be waived or discounted depending on your state’s regulations, or if you are a full-time student, veteran, active military or senior citizen (age 62 or older).
Q. What kinds of debt can be put in a Debt Management Program?
A. Our Debt Management Program can help you with unsecured debts such as credit cards, department store cards, medical bills, signature loans, and many collection accounts.
Q. What are the benefits of a Debt Management Program?
A. Our Debt Management Program is focused on assisting you in regaining control of your finances, creating a household budget, and consolidating your debt into one monthly payment. We work with creditors to arrange for the benefits that creditors offer through participation in a debt management plan. Most creditors will provide benefits, which may include lower interest rates, stopping late and overlimit fees, and reaging delinquent accounts to reflect a current status.
Q. What will my new interest rates be?
A. Program interest rates are pre-determined by the individual creditors that you have. For more specific information regarding the benefits a particular creditor offers, please speak to one of our credit counselors at (800) 769-3571, ext. 506.
Q. When will my interest rates start to go down?
A. Many creditors will lower the interest rate immediately upon acceptance of a Debt Management Proposal. Others may wait for three consecutive program payments to post on your account before lowering the interest rate.
Q. What does reaging an account mean?
A. Once your debt management proposal is accepted by the creditor, and generally after making three consecutive payments, many creditors will reage a delinquent account to show as current on your credit report. Federal law prohibits creditors from reaging an account more than once in a five-year period.
Q. How do I get started with your program?
A. The fastest way to get started is to contact us at our toll free number, (800) 769-3571, ext. 506. Counselors are available to assist you Monday through Thursday from 9:00am to 11:30pm, Friday from 9:00am to 8:00pm, and Saturday from 10:00am to 4:00pm (Eastern Time). ACCC also offers a free budget evaluation form that allows you to complete the evaluation at your own pace, before speaking directly with a counselor.
Q. How long will it take to complete the program?
A. A Debt Management Program is designed to complete in approximately 4-5 years based on the minimum required program payments. However the length of the program will be determined by the total amount of your debt, your specific creditors, and whether you can send extra funds as you become more financially stable.
Q. What happens to my total monthly payment when one of my accounts is paid off?
A. Your total monthly payment will remain the same throughout the life of the program. As one account is paid off, the funds for that creditor plus the maintenance fee will automatically be reallocated in a way that is most beneficial to you, which is generally the account with the highest interest rate. On the last page of your budget, there is a breakdown showing your estimated program completion date, assuming no payments have been missed during the program. For more information, you may contact the Client Services Department at (800) 769-3571, ext. 500.
Q. Can I still use my credit cards once I’m enrolled in the program?
A. No. All accounts entered in the Debt Management Program will be closed. In order to get out of debt and regain financial stability, you must stop incurring new debt.
Q. Do I need to cancel credit card insurance?
A. Yes. Most creditors will not accept a Debt Management Proposal without first having the client cancel credit card insurance.
Q. Will my creditors still send me statements?
A. Yes. You will continue to receive monthly statements from your creditors, as usual. The statements will reflect payments made through the Debt Management Program. Please review your monthly statements to make sure you receive accurate benefits from your creditors, as indicated on your ACCC Payment Summary sheet. If you notice a problem, you must notify ACCC immediately. ACCC is not responsible for issues or errors that are not reported in a timely manner. If you are not receiving statements and your creditor refuses to send them, it is your responsibility to contact your creditor to check the status of your account. Specifically, check to see that payments are posting on time, that the program interest rate is in effect, that you are not getting unnecessary fees, and/or any past due amounts. If there are any issues, please contact our Client Services Department at (800) 769-3571, ext. 500.
Q. Can I make payments on my own, once I join the program?
A. No. It is recommended that once the program begins that all payments be made through the Debt Management Program. Payments made directly to the creditors could be viewed as a termination from our program by the creditor and may result in an increase in the interest rates. If you want to send additional funds, please contact the Disbursement Department at (800) 769-3571, ext. 501. They will be happy to assist you with this as part of our service to you.
Q. How will your program affect my credit or credit score?
A. While you are on the program, some creditors may contact the credit bureaus and put a notation on your report indicating that you’re going through credit counseling. This is a neutral notation that does not affect your credit score, which is what most lenders use to determine creditworthiness. How individual creditors view this notation varies. The notation is usually removed when you complete or terminate the program and, if it is not, you may contact the credit bureaus to have the inaccurate information removed. We recommend that you review your credit report, upon completion/termination of the program, to ensure that all information is being accurately reported. A handful of creditors will report, or continue to report, an account in a debt management plan as delinquent, until the balance is paid-in-full. This could have a negative impact on your credit.
Q. Is my information kept confidential?
A. Yes. ACCC’s privacy policy pledges that client information will be strictly safeguarded and stored in a safe manner at our office. We maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards that comply with federal regulations to guard your nonpublic personal information and will not disclose information to anyone except those persons authorized by you. To read ACCC's complete privacy policy, click here.
Q. What credentials do you have?
A. ACCC is a member of the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies (AICCCA). As an accredited member, we are required to be certified through an independent third part auditor to the standards of ISO 9001:2000 (International Standard Organization) and a Code of Practice specific to the credit counseling industry. This guarantees the highest standards of fiscal integrity, quality service delivery, and client database security. The Better Business Bureau reports on businesses through what is called a Reliability Report. Consumers can refer to the BBB’s website under Charitable organizations and view a Reliability Report which gives business contact information, information on products and services as well as the status of the BBB rating, customer experience compliment information and company management. Based on BBB files, ACCC has an A with the Better Business Bureau. To review the report you may contact the BBB at www.betterbusinessbureau.org.
Q. How is ACCC funded?
A. ACCC receives financial support through voluntary Fair Share and Grant contributions from creditors who participate in our Debt Management Program. However, we work with all creditors who are willing to accept our payments and offer benefits to our clients, regardless of whether or not the creditor provides financial support to ACCC.
Q. How do I add an account to the program?
A. All unsecured accounts should be included in the program in order for you to receive the full benefits of the program. You can add an account by sending a copy of your most recent creditor statement to: FAX: (781) 207-0085, ATTN: Add Accounts MAIL: ACCC, Attn: Add Accounts, 130 Rumford Avenue, Suite 202, Auburndale, MA 02466-1371.
Q. How do I know if a creditor accepts the Debt Management Proposal?
A. Many creditors will send a letter informing you of the acceptance of a debt management proposal. Another way is to check your credit card statements. Lower interest rates and suspension of late fees indicate the creditors’ acceptance of the debt management proposal. You may also check the status of your accounts on our website (www.consumercredit.com) or call Client Services at (800) 769-3571, ext. 500.
Q. What happens if one of my credit cards is sold or transferred to another credit card company?
A. If a creditor sells your account to another company, they must notify you in writing. Should you receive notification of this, you must contact our Client Services Department immediately. Client Services will then make the necessary changes to ensure the new creditor is informed of your participation in our Debt Management Program and that your payment is being sent to the correct place.
Q. What if a creditor doesn’t agree to participate?
A. Unfortunately it is the decision of a creditor whether or not to accept a debt management proposal. If the creditor will not accept a proposal, they may accept the full standard monthly payment through our program, but offer no benefits. If a creditor refuses to accept your payments through a debt management company, then that individual account must be removed. You will then need to send your regular monthly payments directly to the creditor.
Q. How will a creditor know I joined the Debt Management Program?
A. ACCC will send debt management proposals to your creditors, just prior to sending your first payment. The proposal stands as official notification to your creditors that you have sought the assistance of ACCC.
Q. What happens if I cannot handle my payments while in your program? Can someone help me lower my payments?
A. In order to assess your current financial situation and determine the best course of action, please call our Continuing Education Department at 800-769-3571, extension 511.
Q. What is my username and password to access my account online?
A. For first time users, the username is the six digit birthday (mmddyy) of the primary client. The password is the last four digits of the primary client’s social security number. Please visit us at: https://www.secure-consumercredit.com/accc/logon.asp. Then you will be prompted to create a new username and password.
Q. Why am I being charged late fees and/or over limit fees?
A. There could be several reasons why a creditor is still charging fees. If you see a fee on your current credit card statement, please contact our Client Services Department at (800) 769-3571, ext. 500, immediately so that the issue can be addressed with your creditor.
Q. What if I want to add or remove a co-client from the Debt Management Program?
A. Adding or removing someone from an account is a simple process. Please contact the Client Services Department to review the necessary steps, at (800) 769-3571, ext. 500.
Q. Did you receive my payment?
A. You can access all of your payment information online via our website at www.consumercredit.com. If you require additional assistance you may contact the Disbursements Department at (800) 769-3571, ext. 501.
Q. To whom do I make my check payable to and what address do I send it to?
A. Please make your check or money order payable to American Consumer Credit Counseling or ACCC, and send to ACCC, 130 Rumford Avenue, Suite. 202, Auburndale, MA 02466-1371. Please be sure to include your ACCC Client Number or social security number.
