|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1. What services do you provide?
If you come in for an appointment with a Credit Counselor, he or she will spend about an hour with you discussing your monthly income, expenses, and debt payments. The counselor may give you advice about tracking where your money goes, saving for unexpected expenses, and dealing with creditors. Counselors try to help you take the stress out of organizing your finances.
2. How much do you charge for counseling?
There is a $25 fee for initial financial assessments , and clients may come back for additional meetings with their counselor for no charge. There is a $50 per person fee for pre-bankruptcy credit counseling and $25 per person fee for Personal Financial Management Instructional Course. Services are provided without regard to ability to pay the fee.
3. Is the information I give you confidential?
We do not discuss your financial situation with anyone unless you have given us permission, and we respect your privacy with regard to calling or leaving messages at your workplace.
4. What is a Debt Management Program?
Our Debt Management Program (DMP) is designed to help people who have fallen behind in repaying their debts. It is not a consolidation loan. Clients send us one monthly payment, and we disburse it to their creditors. Some creditors, especially credit card companies, agree to lower monthly payments or interest rates, and waive late and overlimit fees. We cannot guarantee that any individual creditor will agree to our proposals or reduce interest rates. The goal of the DMP is to help clients repay their debts in full.
5. Do I qualify for the DMP? How much would my payments be?
These are questions that can be answered by your counselor after a detailed discussion of your financial situation.
6. What are your fees for the DMP?
We charge a one-time setup fee of $25. This set up fee may be waived if the initial assessment fee was paid. The monthly fee depends on the number of creditors included in the program. If you have up to five accounts, the monthly fee is $20; if you have six to ten accounts, we charge $30; for DMPs with eleven accounts or more, the fee is $40. The monthly fee will not exceed 10% of your total payment.
7. How will a DMP affect my credit report?
Repaying your debts, whether on your own or through a DMP, will improve your credit in the long term. CCCS does not report your involvement in a DMP to the credit bureau, but each of your creditors has the option to do so. Some report that you are making payments, some may identify your account as a CCCS account, and some may say that you are not paying as agreed because of the lower interest rates. Your counselor will discuss the positive and negative aspects of the DMP before you agree to participate.
8. Where are you located?
Our office is at 128 E. Olin Ave. in the Family Service building. Olin Avenue runs between Park St. and John Nolen Dr. If you are coming from the beltline, exit at John Nolen and take the second left on to Olin Ave. Our driveway is the fourth on the right, just past the bus stop.
If you would like information on Bankruptcy Education Counseling please click here.
We encourage you to call us if you have any further questions about CCCS.
Contact CCCS at (608)316-1134 or (888)868-5136 or email CCCS.