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Sunday, October 1st
Apprisen is a nonprofit credit counseling agency that has helped over 750,000 individuals and families manage their finances since 1955. They offer a range of services, including credit counseling, debt management plans, bankruptcy counseling, student loan counseling, and financial education.
Use IRIS to get an initial action plan
In terms of credit counseling, Apprisen provides a free initial consultation to assess your financial situation and provide recommendations. To get started with Apprisen, you can either give them a call or use IRIS, their "financial health expert" (bot) that will gather information about your current financial situation and needs. The info you provide will be shared with a financial specialist at Apprisen, who will do a comprehensive analysis to create a customized action plan. You'll receive that plan in your inbox within 48 hours.
Fees waived if you qualify
Many services offered by Apprisen come at no cost, but even those that are fee-based can have those costs waived if you're unable to pay. That's one big benefit of working with any non-profit credit counseling organization: you're likely to get help no matter where you are on your financial journey.
Debt management program available
One fee-based service with Apprisen is their debt management plans, which involve negotiating reduced credit card interest and fees, then making a single monthly payment to Apprisen, who then distributes the funds to your creditors. You may be charged a one-time fee of $45 to set up your account, and then monthly fees of no more than $45. Those are service fees on top of your negotiated debt repayment amount.
Bankruptcy counseling before and after filing
If you are considering bankruptcy, Apprisen offers pre-bankruptcy counseling and debtor education courses, which are required by law before and after filing for bankruptcy. Expect to pay $25 per individual for pre-bankruptcy counseling for an online course session (though, again, that fee is income-based and can be waived if you qualify). If you live close to one of Apprisen's local offices, you can attend a group workshop for post-bankruptcy education for a fee of $50 (same fee whether it's attended individually or jointly).
Help for student loans
For those with student loans, Apprisen offers counseling and guidance on repayment options, loan consolidation, and deferment/forbearance programs. Student loan education sessions are free to access.
Check out the workshops and other educational resources
Finally, Apprisen provides a range of financial education services, including workshops, webinars, and online resources to help you improve your financial literacy and make informed decisions about your finances.
Positive reputation
Apprisen has an excellent reputation, starting with an "A+" and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau. At the BBB, over 100 people took the time to leave a glowing review for this credit counseling service, averaging an impressive 4.9 out of 5 stars and zero complaints filed. Clients praise Apprisen reps for being courteous and knowledgeable, and they say that they were able to not only get out of debt but also make plans going forward for a solid financial future.
Well worth considering for most credit counseling needs
Overall, Apprisen's services are geared towards helping individuals and families get out of debt, manage their finances, and achieve long-term financial stability. We appreciate that they make their pricing transparent on any fee-based services, and that their clients have nothing but good things to say about the overall experience of getting help here. Apprisen earns our recommendation as a credit counseling provider to consider.
Credit counseling services can be incredibly helpful to individuals who are struggling with debt, looking to improve their credit score, or simply need guidance on financial planning. However, with so many options available, it can be difficult to know where to turn for the best counseling services.
One of the primary benefits of credit counseling is that it can provide you with a comprehensive assessment of your financial situation. This assessment takes into account your income, expenses, debts, and assets, and helps identify areas where you may be overspending or under-saving. Based on this assessment, the credit counselor can provide personalized advice to you on how to create a budget that aligns with your financial goals.
Another benefit of credit counseling is that it can help you develop a plan to pay off your debts. This plan may involve consolidating debts, negotiating with creditors, or creating a debt repayment plan. By working with a credit counselor, you can develop a debt repayment plan that is tailored to your specific financial situation, which can help you achieve financial freedom more quickly.
In addition to debt repayment, credit counseling can also provide education and resources on how to manage credit and financial products. This education can help you make informed decisions about credit cards, loans, and other financial products, which can improve your credit scores and make it easier to access credit in the future. By learning about the different types of credit products available, you can choose the products that are best suited to your financial goals and needs.
The first step in finding the best credit counseling service is to identify your specific needs. Are you currently dealing with significant credit card debt? Are you looking for guidance on how to improve your credit score? Do you need help with financial planning or budgeting? Depending on your situation, you may need to seek out a credit counseling service that specializes in a particular area of financial counseling.
Once you have a clear understanding of your needs, you can begin your search for the best credit counseling service for you. A good place to start is by checking with non-profit credit counseling organizations, as they typically offer free counseling services and may also be able to direct you to resources that can help you better manage your finances.
There are also a number of for-profit credit counseling services available, many of which offer free consultations to help you determine whether their services are right for you. When considering a for-profit credit counseling service, it's important to do your research and make sure that the organization is reputable and has a solid track record of success.
When evaluating any credit counseling service, be sure to consider these factors as well:
Ultimately, the best credit counseling service for you will depend on your individual needs and situation. Top Consumer Reviews has done the hard work of researching all of today's most popular credit counseling providers, making it easy for you to choose the one that will best help you make better financial decisions and achieve your goals.
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