Consumer credit 101- What You Absolutely Need to Know
There are plenty of free credit reports offers on the Internet these days. Credit report is basically your financial resume, so make sure it is correct and protected from hackers or being theft. Your credit rating is what opens and closes these...
Credit Card Expenses are Killing Your Budget!
Do you know the costs associated with your credit card? Do your really know? Many people assume they do but aren’t aware of the hidden fees that many credit card companies are charging you month after month. In fact, if you don’t keep a close eye...
Credit Card Late Charges And How To Avoid Them
It is simply getting ridiculous the charges credit card companies are imposing on consumers who are late making payments. Yes, creditors have a legal right to do what they are doing, however ethically speaking that is certainly open to debate! Let's...
Does your business accept credit cards?
It has become increasingly important for businesses to be able to accept credit cards. Credit cards are the preferred method of payment nowadays. Whether you are an online merchant or own an on-site business, if you do not accept credit cards you...
Why You Should Refinance Your Credit Card
Getting the Right Rate Can Save YOU Thousands
A credit card debt can be like the worst sort of trap. Like a wound that won’t heal, a monthly minimum payment – with ceaseless regularity and endless strain on your budget – leaves your account. ...
Debt Consolidation Credit Counseling Agency Help: How to Spot the Best Program
An individual's financial integrity is extremely important and
if one is in need of help to get back on track, the best place
to go to for debt consolidation credit counseling is a
professional, accredited agency. There are so many different
options that you can choose from to sort out your credit card
debts that it may seem overwhelming at first. A debt
consolidation credit loan counseling service can help you to
decide on the best approach to take.
A debt consolidation credit counseling agency will go through
your financial situation and work with you, and your creditors,
to create a repayment plan that you can keep to until your debts
are paid off. There are literally hundreds of debt consolidation
credit counseling agencies and it is important to choose the
best one for you. One of the major factors that you should
consider when searching for the best debt consolidation credit
counseling agency to suit your needs is to check if they are
accredited to a third party organization. Accreditation means
that the services of the debt consolidation credit counseling
agency are endorsed by another organization that confirms their
high standards.
There are a number of organizations that a debt consolidation
credit counseling agency can be accredited by but the most well
known is the Council on Accreditation of Services for Families
and Children, Inc. (COA). This guarantees that the debt
consolidation credit counseling agency will adhere to high
standards of service delivery, counselor certification, fiscal
integrity, and volunteer Board governance. The COA does not give
accreditation to every debt consolidation credit counseling
agency and they only give their seal of approval
to those debt
consolidation credit counseling agencies who meet their exacting
standards are given their seal of approval.
Many debt consolidation credit counseling agencies are members
of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling. Debt
consolidation credit counseling agents who are NFCC-certified
have undergone a rigorous training and testing program.
To receive accreditation the debt consolidation credit
counseling agency must comply with several service-specific
quality standards such as:
* Annual audits of operating and trust accounts * The debt
consolidation credit counseling agency meets all consumer
disclosure requirements as set forth by the Federal Trade
Commission * Funds are disbursed daily and funds are disbursed
immediately in emergencies * Each consumer receives an
assessment of how he/she came to be in financial difficulty, a
comprehensive financial plan, and a written plan of action *
Clients receive (at minimum) a quarterly statement
In addition, the COA has their own standards for service
delivery & quality that a debt consolidation credit counseling
agency must meet for them to be accredited which are:
* Meeting the needs of cultural/ethnic population groups in the
communities they serve * Fair and equitable treatment of
creditors * Minimum fee structures for consumers * Presentation
of educational programs * Counselors who are NFCC-certified *
Having a branch counseling network in place for support their
clients