News & Press Releases

Boston, MA – November 16, 2021 American Consumer Credit Counseling, Inc (ACCC) today announced that 2021 marks the 30-year anniversary of the national nonprofit helping consumers regain control of their finances and plan for a debt-free future. ACCC has helped over a million American consumers since ... Read More »

Boston, MA – November 11, 2021 Today American Consumer Credit Counseling, Inc (ACCC) announced the public release of a white paper, Tracking Financial Health of American Households, that delivers comprehensive findings from more than a year’s worth of quarterly surveys that polled Americans during one of ... Read More »

November 9, 2021 – By Melanie Evans & Anna Wilde Matthews American households commonly struggle with medical bills, federal and consumer surveys show, often leading to lingering debt. Unpaid bills can drag down credit scores and prompt some people to delay care to avoid more debt. Managing the bills can be ... Read More »

October 30, 2021 – By Ann Carrns Carrying credit card debt isn’t just bad for your budget. It may also affect your health. The stress of carrying card debt through adulthood is linked to poor health, including joint pain or stiffness that interferes with daily activities, a ... Read More »

October 28, 2021 – By Kat Tretina There’s one little, three-digit number that has a big impact on whether you can buy a new car, house, or even a new cellphone: your credit score. Your credit score can even affect how much you pay, since lenders use your credit ... Read More »

Boston, MA – October 21, 2021 Household debt is becoming more of an issue for some consumers, as the percentage of respondents rating debt-to-income ratio ‘very unhealthy’ doubled from 8 percent to 16 percent, new data from the American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) Q3 2021 Financial ... Read More »

October 19, 2021 – By Cynthia Measom Proper planning is crucial when it comes to your finances — not only for the decisions that can affect your wealth now but also for those that will influence your bottom line long term. But knowing how to make the ... Read More »

October 8, 2021 – By Funto Omojola There you are, living your best life, when a sudden sharp abdominal pain hits. It sends you to the emergency room. Before you know it, what should be a routine procedure turns into a medical fluke, and your stay in ... Read More »

October 6, 2021 – By Laura Woods When you first opened your credit card account, the spending limit seemed reasonable, but it’s no longer cutting it. You’ve been thinking about asking the credit card company to raise your limit, but you’re not sure if doing so is ... Read More »

October 3, 2021 – By Noel Fletcher If health care bills are piling up and your finances are tightly stretched, you’ll want to explore every avenue you have to regain control over your budget. Refinancing and consolidation are popular remedies for other kinds of debt, like the ... Read More »

September 24, 2021 – By Rebecca Lake Borrowing money – whether it’s using a credit card or taking out a personal loan – means creating debt that you have to repay, usually with interest. But whether its an unsecured debt or secured debt can affect how you decide ... Read More »

September 21, 2021 – By Sophia Surrett Having one of your friends or family members borrow your favorite striped blazer is usually not a big deal — as long as no red wine mishaps are involved. But what about when it comes to a bigger borrowing ask ... Read More »

Boston, MA – September 9, 2021 National nonprofit American Consumer Credit Counseling, Inc (ACCC) announced today it is hosting two free webinars during the month of September hosted by Peter Mullen, Community Educator at ACCC. The webinar on ‘Paying Off Student Debt’ will be held on ... Read More »

September 7, 2021 – By Zina Kumok Walking away from your debt, also known as defaulting, could seem like your best option if you’re struggling to keep up with bills. However, walking away from debt won’t solve all of your problems; the lender can still try to ... Read More »

Boston, MA – August 30, 2021 The pandemic reinforced the importance of saving and building an emergency fund. An unexpected crisis, like the COVID-19 pandemic, can place an entire household’s financial health at risk. National nonprofit American Consumer Credit Counseling, Inc (ACCC) says consumers should learn ... Read More »

August 27, 2021 – By Elizabeth Rivelli The old adage “teamwork makes the dream work” can also apply to building credit. If you’re finding it difficult to open a credit card without a solid credit history, a co-signer or authorized user account can help. Applying for a ... Read More »

Boston, MA – August 12, 2021 Over nine in ten Americans carry some debt, such as a credit card balance, a car loan, or a mortgage. Debt can begin to spiral out of control before consumers even realize it and, in some cases, before they know ... Read More »

August 11, 2021 – By Susan Ladika If you’re trying to pay off credit card debt but struggling to do it on your own, you might want to consider nonprofit debt consolidation. Nonprofit debt relief companies work with your credit card issuers to lower interest rates on ... Read More »

Boston, MA – August 4, 2021 National nonprofit American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) announced today it is hosting two free webinars during the month of August hosted by Peter Mullen, Community Educator at ACCC. The webinar on ‘Advance Child Tax Credit’ will be held on Tuesday, ... Read More »

Boston, MA – July 29, 2021 Buying on credit is making a comeback as U.S. consumers are feeling more confident in their financial position and the overall economy, new data from the American Consumer Credit Counseling Q2 2021 Financial Health Index suggests. Over the last 16 ... Read More »

July 14, 2021 – By Jerry Brown American consumer debt — including mortgages, car loans, credit cards and student loans — reached $14.64 trillion in the first quarter of 2021, according to the New York Federal Reserve. Some Americans are unable to manage the thousands of dollars of ... Read More »

Boston, MA – July 6, 2021 The excitement of moving into post-pandemic life – and resuming leisure activities like vacation travel, dining out, and live entertainment – could put consumers at risk of overspending and quickly digging a financial hole.  The national nonprofit American Consumer Credit ... Read More »

June 18, 2021 – By Casey Bond Does settling a debt hurt your credit? That’s probably the No. 1 question on your mind if you’re considering a debt settlement. If you’re in over your head, settling credit card debt is one way to break free of the ... Read More »

Boston, MA – June 10, 2021 Buying a home can be a complicated and intimidating process, especially during a pandemic. At the start of the COVID-19 public health crisis, U.S. housing sales took a hit due to the uncertainty consumers had in the economy. Flashforward a ... Read More »

Boston, MA – June 9, 2021 National nonprofit American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) announced today it is hosting two free webinars during the month of June hosted by Peter Mullen, Community Educator at ACCC. The webinar on ‘The Homebuying Process’ will be held on Wednesday, June ... Read More »

Boston, MA – May 13, 2021 Families of first-year college students should brace themselves for the big numbers in fall-semester tuition bills, and take action early to be prepared with all options for financial aid and student loans. American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) is advising clients ... Read More »

Waltham, MA – May 7, 2021 RTN Federal Credit Union and RTN GoodWorks Foundation co-sponsored a virtual “A Beginner’s Guide to Building Wealth” financial education seminar on April 29, presented by partner American Consumer Credit Counseling, Inc. Seventeen people attended the seminar, which introduced financial concepts. ... Read More »

Boston, MA – April 15, 2021 The pandemic of 2020 forced many Americans to shift their financial goals into survival mode, according to a new poll by American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC). But there are new signs of optimism about employment and household finances as the ... Read More »

Boston, MA – April 1, 2021 National nonprofit American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) announced today it is hosting a free financial education webinar titled ‘A Parent’s Guide: Teaching Kids Financial Literacy’ on Tuesday, April 13 from 12:00 to 1:00pm. Hosted by Community Educator Peter Mullen of ... Read More »

March 30, 2021 – By Erica Sandberg IF YOU ARE UNEMPLOYED, you may be wondering, “Can I get a credit card with no job?” Yes, it is certainly possible. Without a steady paycheck, though, creditors will expect that you have substantial assets or resources to repay the debt, ... Read More »

Boston, MA – March 17, 2021 American Consumer Credit Counseling today announced a leadership restructuring and series of appointments following the recent death of the ‘company’s co-founder – Steven “Steve” Trumble. Mr. Trumble, 67, passed away March 1, 2021. He co-founded American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) ... Read More »

Boston, MA – March 11, 2021 National nonprofit American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) announced today it is hosting its third free financial education webinar on ‘Preventing Identity Theft and Fraud on Wednesday, March 24 from 3:00 to 4:00pm EST. Hosted by Community Educator Peter Mullen of ... Read More »

March 5, 2021 – By Coryanne Hicks Your credit history doesn’t need to be a barrier between you and your education: Even borrowers with bad credit or no credit can find student loans. You may not even need a co-signer, although the backing of someone with good ... Read More »

February 26, 2021 – By Jessica Smith and Aarthi Swaminathan The federal payment pause on student loans has given some debtors breathing room. But a new survey shows how borrowers have taken advantage of the pause to target their loans. In January, the Biden administration extended the interest-free payment pause on federal student loans ... Read More »

Boston, MA – February 25, 2021 American Consumer Credit Counseling announced today it is advising clients and other consumers to be prepared for the end of student loan forbearance – which was extended through September 30 by an executive order from President Biden. The extension gives ... Read More »

Boston, MA – February 18, 2021 National nonprofit American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) announced today it is hosting its second free financial education webinar on ‘Understanding and Managing Credit’ on Thursday, March 4 from 11:00am to 12:00pm ET. Hosted by Community Educator Peter Mullen of American ... Read More »

February 8, 2021 – By Reyna Gobel Federal student loan wage garnishment occurs when your employer deducts a portion of your pay to repay your student loan after it defaults. Know that as part of federal Covid-19 relief programs, all federal student loan wage garnishments have stopped until at least ... Read More »

Boston, MA – February 1, 2021 National nonprofit American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) announced today that it is implementing free community virtual online programming and financial education webinars to meet the challenges that COVID-19 has brought, such as the inability to reach consumers in-person. As communities ... Read More »

Boston, MA – January 21, 2021 According to a recent poll by American Consumer Credit Counseling, Americans ended the harrowing year that was 2020 on a real financial downer – with a large percentage saying they were worse off in December 2020 than at the end ... Read More »

January 4, 2021 – By Reyna Gobel Federal and private student loans have more options for skipping payments when you experience a financial hardship than most other types of loans. However, you can still face penalties, such as a damaged credit score, if you don’t let your ... Read More »