If you are behind on your bills and collection calls are starting to come in, you may be considering credit counseling to help you reorganize your finances. There are many credit counseling agencies from which you can choose, including Credit Guard of America. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), you should know as much as possible about any credit counseling firm to help you make a good choice.
Services
Credit Guard of America is a not-for-profit credit counseling agency. It works with distressed individuals to help them evaluate their financial options, including budgeting, bill consolidation and bankruptcy. If they choose to proceed with a debt management plan, Credit Guard of American can assist with the process. The company also educates consumers about general financial topics such as managing credit and protecting their rights with debt collectors. It has an extensive library of articles on its website.
Use
Consumers can use Credit Guard of America by calling their toll-free phone number. Prior to calling, they can use an online debt analyzer to enter their financial information and see how much they may be able to save with a new debt management plan. Callers can speak to a live credit counselor from 8 a.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays. These times are in the Eastern zone. On its website, Credit Guard says that no appointment is required. Educational materials are available on the website 24 hours a day.
Process
According to Credit Guard, the initial phone counseling session takes half an hour to an hour. This allows the credit counselor to gather information and analyze the situation. It also allows the consumer to ask any questions that might come up during the conversation. The counselor will be able to recommend a specific course of action and help the consumer follow through with it.
Financing
Credit Guard of America is recognized as a federal non-profit association. It receives its primary financing from contributions. These are provided by creditors who participate in the debt management program.
Certification
Credit Guard of America says that its credit counselors are certified by the National Institute for Financial Education of America. In order to work for Credit Guard, they must go through an extensive credit counseling program and pass a test administered by NIFE. The FTC says you should always work with certified counselors because certification helps ensure that the individual is a qualified professional.
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