Non-profit debt counseling: take control of your finances
When you want to get control of your financial life, non-profit debt counseling can help. Carrying a large amount of debt can be extremely stressful and getting out of debt is rarely easy. However, with help from nonprofit debt counseling agencies, it is possible to successfully pay off your creditors and learn to live debt-free.
There are many for-profit debt relief firms that promise to settle your debt for pennies on the dollar. The trouble is that these agencies typically charge hefty fees and may leave you deeper in debt. That’s why, when you want the tools and expertise to put an end to your financial troubles, non-profit debt counseling is the way to go.
At American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC), you’ll find knowledgeable and trusted credit counselors ready to help you take the first step on your path out of debt.
The benefits of non-profit debt counseling
Working with a non-profit debt counseling firm – instead of a for-profit debt relief agency – offers many advantages.
- Lower fees – or no fees at all. The right non-profit debt counseling firm should offer free credit counseling services and low-cost debt management services.
- Free educational resources. Your credit counseling agency should be dedicated to helping you learn more about money management so you can avoid debt in the future.
- Sound financial strategies. Some for-profit firms will try to force your creditors to settle your debts for a portion of what you owe. Unfortunately, this approach may ruin your credit rating, put you in legal jeopardy and drive you deeper into debt. Non-profit debt counseling companies will show you how to pay off your debts over time in ways that can help build your credit and improve your financial situation.
- Helpful relationships with creditors. Non-profit debt counseling services typically have positive relationships with credit organizations and may help you secure lower interest rates, lower monthly payments, and an end to late fees and over-limit charges.
Free non-profit debt counseling with ACCC
ACCC has been providing non-profit debt counseling services to consumers nationwide since 1991. Our team is dedicated to helping people regain control of their finances and plan for a debt-free future. Our certified and professionally trained credit counselors can assist you with all of your financial needs. They can help set a plan in motion to remedy your current financial situation.
With debt relief counseling from ACCC, you don’t have to manage your debt alone. When you contact us for a free credit counseling session, our counselors will take a look at your financial situation and help you understand how this happened. They’ll talk with you about the pros and cons for all the various strategies for getting out of debt, from bankruptcy and debt settlement to debt consolidation and credit and debt management. They’ll provide you with personalized options based on your financial goals, and help you decide which approach is right for you.
Non-profit debt counseling with ACCC also includes access to a wealth of resources that can increase your knowledge of personal finance. From financial tools and calculators to educational materials on budgeting and saving for retirement, you’ll find everything you need at ACCC to deal with your debt and make a plan to reach your financial goals.
How debt management works
When you come to ACCC for non-profit debt counseling, your credit counselor may recommend a debt management plan as an effective way of paying off your debt.
Debt management plans are designed to pay off your debt over time in a way that will protect your credit rating and help you develop habits to avoid debt in the future. When you enroll in a debt management plan with ACCC, we’ll help you develop a budget you can live with while you make payments on your debt. We’ll contact your creditors to let them know you’re working with us to pay off your debts, and we’ll seek potential reductions in your interest rates, finance charges, late fees, and over-limit fees, potentially helping to save you money. We may also try to re-age your debt, giving you more time to pay it off and to lower your monthly payment.
Next, we’ll consolidate all the payments you make on unsecured debt each month into a single monthly payment you’ll make to ACCC. Our team will then use that money to pay each of your creditors on your behalf, ensuring that your payments are made on time each month.
Under our debt management plan, you’ll have a simpler time meeting your obligations as you’ll have only one payment to make each month. You’ll also feel the relief of knowing that you’re taking positive steps to work your way out of debt, and that there’s a team of credit counselors on your side who will work with you until your problems are resolved.
Why work with ACCC?
Choosing the right non-profit debt counseling agency is critical to your financial situation. When you choose ACCC, you can count on:
- Free credit counseling
- Expertise from trained and trusted credit counselors
- Assistance from a company with a strong track record and a 30-year history of helping consumers just like you
- Low fees for debt management services – our effective fee structure is the lowest in the industry
- Assistance regardless of your ability to pay – we can waive or reduce fees for financial hardship
- free educational materials and financial tools
- Counseling and services provided face-to-face and over the phone
- An online chat feature where you can get your questions answered confidentially and quickly
- Convenient services offered in English and Spanish
- Superior customer service
- Confidentiality – we hold your personal financial information in the strictest confidence
ACCC is a member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) and is accredited through the Better Business Bureau with an A+ rating.
FAQs: What is non-profit debt counseling?
What is credit counseling or debt counseling?
Credit counseling, or debt counseling, provides consumers with guidance on managing their money to pay off debts and improve their credit rating. Credit counselors can help consumers to better understand their financial picture as well as the habits that led them into debt. Many credit counseling agencies also offer debt management plans that help consumers pay off their debts over time, usually within 5 years or less.
What is non-profit debt counseling?
Non-profit debt counseling is offered by mission-driven, not-for-profit companies that provide free credit counseling and low-cost debt management programs. The goal of nonprofit credit counseling is to help consumers get out of debt and to change the behavior that led them into debt in the first place. In contrast, for-profit debt relief agencies are profit-driven companies that may charge high fees for their services. For-profit agencies also tend to use aggressive strategies for reducing debt that, when unsuccessful, may leave consumers in deeper debt and legal trouble.
