A certified Credit.org counselor will review your income, expenses, debts, and financial goals in a confidential one-on-one session. Before your appointment, it helps to have recent pay stubs, bills, and creditor statements handy. Your counselor will then walk you through your debt relief options,  including debt management plans, budgeting strategies, and other pathways, to help you choose the right next step.

During your confidential session, your counselor will review your income, monthly expenses, credit card debt, and other financial obligations. They'll explain your options in plain language, answer your questions, and help you build a personalized plan to manage debt and cover your living expenses. Sessions typically run 45 to 60 minutes.

Yes. Your initial credit counseling session is completely free of charge. There is no cost to speak with a certified counselor, review your finances, and explore your options. If you choose to enroll in a Debt Management Program, a small monthly service fee may apply, but fee waivers are available for those who qualify. There is never any obligation or cost to get started.

Once enrolled in a Debt Management Program, many creditors reduce or stop collection activity as long as you stay current on your plan payments. While we can't guarantee all legal action will cease, clients who make consistent on-time payments typically see a significant reduction in creditor contact. Your counselor will set realistic expectations during your session.

Credit counselors are certified financial professionals, not attorneys, and are not able to provide legal advice. If your situation involves creditor lawsuits or bankruptcy proceedings, we recommend consulting a qualified attorney. For the financial side, debt management, budgeting, credit relief, our counselors are here to help.

As a nonprofit, Credit.org's counselors work in your best interest, not on commission, and with no products to sell. We're a founding member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC), a HUD-approved housing counseling agency, and accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA) and Better Business Bureau (BBB). With more than 50 years of service and 5.2 million counseling sessions completed, our mission has always been the same: to help families achieve lasting financial stability.