Unlike debt settlement programs, Consolidated Credit doesn’t charge a percentage of savings in fees. Instead, it charges a flat monthly fee that’s set by your state — and only for the debt management program. This can range from $0 to $69 with an average fee of $35 per month. Consolidated Credit factors the fee into the budget you draw up with your credit counselor.
How much could I save with Consolidated Credit?
Customers typically save between 30% and 50% of their total credit card debt. How much you save depends on your personal situation and which Consolidated Credit solution you and your counselor decide is right for you.
What are the benefits and drawbacks of Consolidated Credit debt relief?
Benefits
- Available in all 50 states and territories. Unlike other debt relief companies, Consolidated Credit works everywhere in the US.
- No minimum debt. Many debt relief companies only work with clients that are at least $7,500 in debt — not Consolidated Credit.
- Positive customer reviews. Gets overwhelmingly positive reviews on Trustpilot, scoring a 9.6 out of 10 based on nearly 2,000 reviews as of December 2018.
- Lots of free educational resources. Offers free webinars, local workshops, educational videos, calculators for nearly every scenario, interactive courses and more.
Drawbacks
- No payday loans or secured debt. Most debt relief companies don’t work with secured loans since they involve collateral, and Consolidated Credit is no exception.
- Not on the DOJ’s list of government-approved agencies. The Department of Justice has a list of government-approved credit counseling agencies that it recommends to people considering filing for bankruptcy. Consolidated Credit is not included.
- Can impact your ability to borrow. While signing up for debt management typically won’t lower your credit score, you typically won’t be able to take on new credit until you’ve paid off your debt.
Compare more debt relief providers
Before you sign up with a debt relief company
Debt relief companies typically charge a percentage of a customer’s debt or a monthly program fee for their services. And not all companies are transparent about these costs or drawbacks that can negatively affect your credit score. Depending on the company you work with, you might pay other fees for third-party settlement services or setting up new accounts, which can leave you in a worse situation than when you signed up.
Consider alternatives before signing up with a debt relief company:
- Payment extensions. Companies you owe may be willing to extend your payment due date or put you on a longer payment plan if you ask.
- Nonprofit credit counseling. Look for free debt-management help from nonprofit organizations like the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.
- Debt settlement. If you can manage to pay a portion of the bill, offer the collection agency a one-time payment as a settlement. Collection agencies are often willing to accept a lower payment on your debt to close the account.
What exactly is Consolidated Credit?
Consolidated Credit is one of the largest credit counseling agencies in the country. It offers two main debt relief services: Credit counseling and deb management. With credit counseling, you and your counselor meet to go over your options and come up with a plan to get you out of debt. Credit consultations are free.
If other options like making a budget or taking out a debt consolidation loan won’t be much help, Consolidated Credit might recommend signing up for its debt management program.
There are two parts to this program:
- You and your credit counselor design a payment plan that you can afford to pay off all of your eligible debts.
- Your credit counselor goes to your creditors and negotiates with them to reduce or eliminate your interest and penalties like late or nonsufficient funds fees.
What does the Internet say about Consolidated Credit?
Consolidated Credit has mostly positive online reviews as of December 2018. It gets an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), which it’s been accredited with since 1998. The BBB bases its ratings on factors like transparency and time in business. Seven out of the nine reviews on its BBB page are positive, and seven customers have filed complaints.
It does even better on Trustpilot, scoring a 9.6 out of 10 based on over 2,500 reviews. Almost 90% of customers called it “Excellent” — none said its services were poor or bad. Many customers were happy with the quality of customer service and how easy Consolidated Credit made the process. Several mentioned that it helped them unlock lower rates or get out of debt.
A few customers complained about unsolicited phone calls from Consolidated Credit. A few more felt they weren’t properly informed of the program’s costs or had some miscommunications with customer service. But the good generally overshadowed the bad.
Is it safe to use Consolidated Credit?
Generally, yes. Its site uses industry-standard SSL certificates to protect any data you enter online. Once Consolidated Credit has your information, only its employees and service agents have access to it. It only shares sensitive personal information like your Social Security number with third parties if it’s legally required to. And it only shares those details with your creditors when negotiating your debt and other service providers involved in the debt management process.
It also has the following memberships and accreditations:
- US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) member. In other words, HUD has given it its blessing to give homeowners and buyers financial advice.
- Financial Counseling Association of America (FCAA) member. This trade organization sets industry standards and makes sure that its members are effectively meeting consumer needs.
- ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB). ANAB is an international accreditation board that makes sure its members meet world-wide management standards — especially when it comes to customer satisfaction.
- Certified ISO 9001 company. This means that it’s met rigorous quality management standards in terms of how the organization is set up and run.
- Endorsed by United Way. United Way is a nonprofit that works to promote local programs that help develop their communities, including educational initiatives — and getting people out of debt.
How do I get started?
To get started, set up a meeting with one of Consolidated Credit’s credit counselors. Here’s how in four steps:
- Select the Go to Site button on this page.
- Enter your name, email, phone number, state, ZIP code and debt amount.
- Hit Start Now!
- Wait for Consolidated Credit to get in touch by phone or email to set up an appointment.
Once you speak to a certified counselor, they’ll work with you to come up with a plan specific to your particular needs. You might simply come up with a payment plan or apply for a debt consolidation loan. Or, your counselor might advise you to enroll in a debt management program.
I’ve signed up. What happens next?
It all depends on your situation. You might be able to pay off your debt on your own after creating a budget. Or, you might sign up for debt management.
With debt management, Consolidated Credit negotiates to lower your credit card rates, usually to between 0% and 6%. Your counselor comes up with a payment plan that fits your personal budget. With this plan, you’d make one monthly payment to Consolidated Credit, which then pays off your individual creditors until you’re free of debt.
4 tips to make Consolidated Credit debt relief a smart move
Think Consolidated Credit may be able to help? Here are a few pointers to make the most of your program:
- Set a goal. Going into credit counseling with an intention can help you be more level-headed when it comes to tough financial decisions.
- Stick to your budget. Creating a budget is the easy part, but sticking to it can be tricky. Sometimes there are emergencies that require you to go outside of your spending limits. When this happens, reach out to your credit counselor to reassess your budget.
- Check your credit report. You’re entitled to one free credit report from each credit agency each year. This breaks down to a free report every four months if you rotate between the three main credit bureaus. Check it regularly to make sure there are no mistakes and that you’re on track to being debt-free.
- Be honest with your credit counselor. Debt can be hard to talk about, especially when you feel like you’re no longer in control. But your credit counselor is there to help, not judge. The more forthcoming you are about your situation, the more they’ll be able to help.
Bottom line
Consolidated Credit could be a good option for anyone struggling to pay off their debt. Consultations are free, so getting advice doesn’t cost you anything. And if you sign up for its debt management program, you could end up paying a reduced interest rate on your credit cards and loans.
Want to know more about your debt relief options? Check out our article on how debt relief companies work and our guide to debt consolidation.
Frequently asked questions
Does debt management affect my credit score?
Typically, yes. It can hurt and help it. Since the goal is to pay off and close credit accounts, your score might decrease slightly because your credit utilization ratio will be lower — you just have less access to credit than you did before. But it can also improve your credit score in the long run by getting your personal finances back on track.
What if I enroll in debt management when I’m being sued?
Sometimes, enrolling in a debt management program will convince your creditors you’re serious about paying them back and they’ll drop the lawsuit. But there’s no guarantee that it’ll work. It might be worth setting up a consultation to learn what your options are and seek the advice of a legal expert..
How do I login to my Consolidated Credit account?
Unfortunately, Consolidated Credit doesn’t have a link to their Client Service Center on their website. The easiest way to find the page to login is to search Consolidated Credit login online. You should see a link to the Consolidated Credit Client Service Center pop up. Go to that page and enter your username and password to log in.
