Get out of debt with credit counseling and debt consolidation
When you’re carrying too much debt and facing financial trouble, credit counseling and debt consolidation may offer a way out. Nonprofit credit counseling agencies offer free and low-cost services that can help you understand your situation, review your options, and make a plan to get out of debt. Debt consolidation can help to simplify your finances and reduce your interest rates to help you pay off debt faster. Together, credit counseling and debt consolidation may be the ticket to getting out of debt once and for all – and learning to live debt-free.
American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) is a non-profit agency offering credit card counseling, debt consolidation, and debt management services. Our certified credit counselors are financial professionals who have seen every kind of financial situation and can help you make a plan to address your unique financial difficulties. With free credit counseling and low-cost debt consolidation plans from ACCC, you can take the first steps to reach your financial goals.
How debt consolidation works
Debt consolidation can be an effective way of dealing with debt – but there are drawbacks as well.
The premise of debt consolidation is simple. Consolidation involves paying off multiple debts or loans by taking out a new loan at a lower interest rate. (Alternately, you may pay off multiple credit card balances by transferring money to a new card with a lower APR.) As result, you’ll spend less on interest each month. And you’ll simplify your finances by having just one payment to make.
Debt consolidation has its downside as well. If you’re deeply in debt, it can be difficult to secure a lower interest rate that makes debt consolidation worthwhile. Taking out new loans or transferring balances often involves high fees that add to the amount you owe. Because debt consolidation doesn’t address the root cause or the behavior that created debt in the first place, consumers who choose traditional consolidation often find themselves just as deeply in debt a short time later.
ACCC: credit counseling, debt consolidation, and more
ACCC has been a leader in the credit counseling industry since 1991. We provide free credit/debt counseling services and low-cost debt management and debt consolidation plans that have helped thousands of consumers to improve their financial situations.
When you meet with an ACCC certified credit counselor in a free counseling session, we’ll help you take stock of your financial situation by reviewing your income, expenses, assets, and debts. Your debt counselor will explain all the options available to you – from debt management and debt consolidation to debt settlement and bankruptcy – and show you the pros and cons of each approach. You’ll receive a list of personalized options based on your financial goals, and your counselor will help you decide on the approach that makes the most sense for your situation and your aspirations.
In addition to credit counseling, debt consolidation, and debt management, we offer services to address all the financial needs of consumers, including bankruptcy counseling, housing counseling, and student loan counseling.
Debt consolidation through a debt management plan
When you seek credit counseling from ACCC, your credit counselor may recommend a debt management plan as a way of paying off your debt over time. Debt management offers an alternative to traditional debt consolidation. You can still simplify your finances by consolidating all your obligations into a single monthly payment, but you won’t be taking out a new loan at high fees.
Under a debt management plan, you’ll work with your ACCC counselor to create a budget that lets you pay down your debt each month, but without asking you to make huge sacrifices you can’t sustain over time. Then, instead of paying all your creditors individually, you’ll make just one payment to ACCC and we’ll disperse those funds to your creditors on your behalf. This kind of debt consolidation makes it easier to meet your monthly payment and helps reduce the stress you can feel when dealing with multiple creditors.
Additionally, our team will talk with your creditors about potentially reducing your interest rates and finance charges and eliminating late fees and over-limit fees. This can reduce the total amount you owe so you can pay it off faster. We may also consider asking to re-age your accounts, which gives you more time to pay off your debt and lowers your monthly payment.
With a credit counseling and debt consolidation through ACCC, most consumers can pay off their debts within 36 to 60 months.
Why ACCC is your best bet for credit counseling and debt consolidation
When you choose credit counseling and debt consolidation with ACCC, you can count on:
- Reputable services. With 30 years of experience, ACCC is a leader among credit counseling companies. We have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and we are a member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC).
- Expert counselors. Our credit counselors are professionally trained and certified by a third-party organization to provide assistance for a wide range of financial needs.
- Convenient services. We are available to help you six days a week in English and in Spanish.
- Free educational resources. Your ACCC counselor can direct you to a wealth of educational materials and financial tools that can help you learn more about personal finance, budgeting, and the financial habits that can keep you out of debt in the future.
- Free credit counseling. Your first session with an ACCC credit counselor is free of charge.
- Low-cost debt management plans. Our debt management plans have the lowest effective fee structure in the industry, and we can waive our fees for financial hardship.
FAQs: What is credit counseling and debt consolidation?
What is credit counseling?
Credit counseling is a service typically provided by non-profit agencies that seek to help consumers manage difficult financial situations and make plans to get out of debt. Credit counseling is usually offered free of charge or at very low cost.
What is debt consolidation?
Debt consolidation is a strategy for managing debt that involves paying off multiple existing debts by taking on a new loan. If the interest rate on the new loan is lower than the combined rates on the previous debts, a consumer can save money on interest payments, helping to pay off the debt sooner. Debt consolidation also simplifies a consumer’s finances by requiring just one debt payment each month.
