American Consumer Credit Counseling, AKA Consumer Credit, has been in the credit and debt consolidation business for over 26 years. Consumer Credit is a non-profit organization that provides credit counseling and debt management programs. Their services are available nationwide and have no minimum debt requirement. Consumer Credit offers a free consultation with certified counselors. They are also accredited by the NFC and AICCCA.
Pros
Free Consultation
Consumer Credit offers services to help people regain control of their finances by providing professionally trained and certified counselors to meet the individual needs of consumers saddled with unsecured debt. They encourage those under economic hardship to call their toll-free number for a consultation to determine if a counseling session or another one of their product offerings would be of benefit.
Counseling sessions are provided free of charge and are geared to assess the current financial struggle of each caller. A certified counselor will help consumers paint of picture of their financial status by reviewing income, assets, and expenses. Ultimately, they will create a budget which will work to meet the needs of struggling families. They may also recommend a debt management plan to those having difficulty keeping up with their monthly payments to creditors.
Accreditations
Consumer Credit is accredited by the AICCCA and NFC. These accreditations indicate that Consumer Credit is dedicated to best practices in the industry. These accreditations guarantee a level of quality in services and business practices. Additionally, Consumer Credit’s credit counselors are all certified.
Best Debt Consolidation Companies
Cons
No ISO Certification
Although Consumer Credit is a non-profit organization, it lacks the critical ISO certification that we look for in these kinds of companies. ISO 9001 would indicate that Consumer Credit is undergoing regular independent audits to verify that they are operating as a legitimate non-profit. While this is not a deal breaker, we would like to see this certification.
Undisclosed Average Interest Rates
Debt consolidation companies negotiate lower interest rates on your credit cards, personal loans, medical bills, and other unsecured debts. Those in a debt consolidation program will always repay the full amount owed, just at a much lower interest rate. Many debt relief companies will display the average interest rates they get for their clients, but this information is not shared by American Consumer Credit Counseling.
No Outline of Risks
The company would do well to outline risks associated with a debt management plan and inform consumers of those pitfalls. Consumers have the option to cancel services at any time without penalty from the company; however, keep in mind there may be penalties associated with creditors such as interest rate spikes and late fees being added back to accounts if the program is canceled.
Our Recommendation
Consumer Credit is well accredited, available nationwide, and offers certified counselors to help every step of the way. However, we dislike the lack of transparency in their fees and interest rates. At this time we do not recommend working with Consumer Credit.
Consumer Credit FAQ
American Consumer Credit Counseling (Consumer Credit) is a non-profit credit counseling agency that provides customers with a credit counselor to build a debt management plan. This debt management plan helps customers consolidate their debt into one monthly payment with reduced interest rates. Consumer Credit disperses this monthly payment to all of the creditors accordingly. Consumer Credit also offers customers various financial counseling services such as credit, bankruptcy, housing, and student loans.
How much does Consumer Credit cost?
ACCC charges a one-time enrollment fee of $39. Each month you work with them, you will be charged between $5-50 depending on your state.
How long does their debt consolidation program take?
4-5 years
Do they offer a free consultation?
Yes. They were very helpful with us in determining what kind of services we needed and there was no charge to do so.
How long have they been in business?
26 years. They’ve been in business since 1991.
What services do they provide?
Credit Counseling, Debt Management, Bankruptcy Counseling, and Housing Counseling.
What states are they in?
ConsumerCredit, also known as American Consumer Credit Counseling, is licensed to work in all 50 states.
Does Consumer Credit have a money back guarantee?
No. Generally, you will not receive your money back for fees you’ve paid.
What is their cancellation policy?
You can cancel their services at any time you choose, however we were warned that if you do so, your creditors may come back with higher interest rates since you no longer have American Consumer Credit Counseling acting on your behalf.
What are their business hours?
- Monday – Thursday 9am – 11:30pm EST
- Friday 9am – 8pm EST
- Saturday 10am – 6pm EST
What accreditations does Consumer Credit have?
ACCC’s financial counselors are not CPFC certified, but they are certified debt management professionals. ACCC is not ISO certified, but it is a member of The Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies (AICCCA).
Are there any inaccuracies in this review? We take our accuracy very seriously and would love your feedback. Give feedback here.
- Takes your existing debt and try to settle with your creditors for a lower amount. If you pay off the settled amount, your debt will be considered paid in full.
- Negotiates with your creditors on your behalf.
- Fee based on a percentage of your total starting debt or a percentage of the debt they save you.
- Most settlement companies have you create a separate "escrow" account where you will make monthly contributions over a certain amount of time to contribute to your settlement. Once there is a substantial amount of funds to show your creditors, the settlement company will try to negotiate a lower amount of debt.
- Combines all your debts and creditors into one monthly payment.
- Allows you to pay one monthly payment to the consolidation company, instead of multiple payments to different creditors.
- You no longer owe your original creditors; instead you pay one monthly payment to your consolidation company.
- Consolidation companies can help negotiate lower interest rates on your debts and help lower your total debt payment in the long run. A lower interest rate will lower the amount you owe in the end.
- Allows you to consolidate all your different debts into one personal loan that can be paid off over time.
- Can offer borrowers a lower interest rate with a longer payback term (compared to high-interest credit cards or medical bills). This will lower the amount of money required to pay off the loan over time.
- Personal loan debt consolidation can be an effective way to raise your credit score quickly (within 3-6 months).
- Borrowers can receive funds from their loan within only a few days.
Read full article
No Consumer Credit Reviews