Product Benefits & Features

FREE Services Include:

• Free Consultations
  Financial Assessment – A complete financial assessment includes review and analysis of member’s household income, expenses, assets and liabilities.
• Complete Credit and Debt Analysis
  A credit counselor takes the time to thoroughly understand and assess current credit and debt issues.
• Credit & Debt Counseling by Certified Credit Counselors
  • Assist in creating a livable budget to balance income and expenses.
  • Provide specific advice on how to deal with creditors.
  • Offer money management and budgeting techniques to help gain control of finances.
  • Develop a comprehensive spending plan.
  • Create an action plan to become debt free.
• “Ask Susan” Online Counseling Sessions
  A unique opportunity to receive a personalized response to questions on subjects such as loans, budgeting, credit reporting, collections, dealing with debt, and much more. Email your questions to receive a personal response on these and other financial subjects.
• Housing Advisory Services
  • Advice covering first time homeownership, affordable mortgages and refinancing.
  • Post purchase counseling.
  • Reverse mortgages – what are they and how do they work?
• Online Tools and Articles
  • Access online articles designed to inform, assist, educate and alert consumers in all areas of credit, money management and how to get help.
  • Online tools for budgeting.
  • Articles designed to help make smart financial decisions.
  • Articles designed to help with family financial and purchasing decisions.
  • Hotlinks to a wide variety of consumer resources on topics such as lending, credit reports, credit cards and vehicle purchasing and financing.
  • Easy-to-use online calculators to help get finances back on track. Calculators are available to help with budgeting, and vehicle and home financing.
  • Tests and quizzes to gain a better understanding of how to improve money management skills.
• Money Choices – VISA’s Smart Money Management Self-paced Courses.
• Financial Services Requiring a Small Fee
  In the event a member has made the decision to file for bankruptcy, our counselors are trained to take them through mandated education courses, at a minimal fee, so that they can obtain their required certificate of completion prior to the courts granting the bankruptcy.
• Prefiling Bankruptcy Counseling Sessions
  • Cover budgeting, wise money management and the advantages and consequences of filing bankruptcy.
  • Familiarize clients with the bankruptcy process and discuss financial options.
  • Issue certificate of completion allowing client to proceed with the bankruptcy filing process.
    
    This is a formal course that a consumer would be “required” to take if they were going to file bankruptcy. The service provider is approved to issue certificates of compliance with the new bankruptcy codes, which certify that members have completed the pre-bankruptcy education course. It is available in person, over the phone or online. The cost is $50.
• Predischarge Bankruptcy Education
  • Education courses discuss:
  • Budgeting
  • Credit
  • Predatory Lending
  • Available community resources
  • The Credit & Debt Education Package workbooks
    The cost for this is $50-individual, $75-joint.