Saturday, September 14th
2024 Credit Counseling Service Reviews
GreenPath
- Non-profit organization accredited by the NFCC
- In operation since 1961
- Has helped nearly 5 million people
- Available in English and Spanish
- Many services are free
- Debt management plans may have a setup fee of up to $50 and monthly service fees of up to $75
- "A+” rated and accredited by the BBB
GreenPath Financial Services is a non-profit credit counseling agency that provides various financial services to help individuals and families achieve their financial goals. The organization was established in 1961 and has multiple offices across the United States.
Over 4.5 million people helped
GreenPath is accredited by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling and has helped over 4.5 million people with their financial challenges. They offer services n both English and Spanish. These include credit counseling, debt management plans, housing counseling, reverse mortgage counseling, and student loan counseling.
Plenty of options for credit counseling
GreenPath offers the usual panorama of credit counseling services. Those include:
- Debt Counseling
- Debt Management
- Credit Report Review
- Student Loan Counseling
- Foreclosure Prevention and Support
- Homebuyer Counseling
- Reverse Mortgage Counseling
- Resources for Renters
- Housing Classes
Have to use the phone
To get started with any GreenPath credit counseling, you'll need to either call the toll-free number on the site or request a phone call. That's not as user-friendly as some options we evaluated. Other services let you walk through a series of questions beforehand and get an idea of what the recommended services will be - long before speaking to a representative.
Fees can be high
Also, GreenPath's fees are a little higher than many of its rivals in the credit counseling industry. For example, debt management plans here will have a one-time setup fee that could be as high as $50 and monthly fees that may go up to $75: compare that with some of the higher-ranked services in our evaluation and you'll see that GreenPath could be twice as expensive (for essentially providing the same service).
Not a lot of reviews from clients
This credit counseling option comes in a little lackluster when looking at client feedback. True, the Better Business Bureau gives GreenPath an "A+” rating and accreditation, and there were only a dozen complaints filed with the BBB over the last three years. But, beyond the complaints, we didn't find a lot of feedback from GreenPath clients other than the client stories featured on the website - which was surprising given how the organization helps about 80,000 clients every year. (And, for what it's worth, a lot of GreenPath employees take to sites like Indeed and Glassdoor to leave not-so-nice comments about the work environment as well.)
Room for improvement
Is GreenPath trustworthy? Sure. Could you get good credit counseling here? Probably. But with so many excellent choices to pick from, and especially ones that have lower fees and much more glowing feedback from clients, it's hard to find anything that makes GreenPath stand out in a positive way. We recommend looking at the higher-ranked sources of credit counseling in our evaluation before committing to what GreenPath offers.
More Credit Counseling Service Reviews
The 9 Best Credit Counseling Services
Where Can You Get the Best Credit Counseling?
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.
Credit Counseling Service FAQ
Continued from above...
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:
- Experience and credentials. How long has the service been operating? How many clients have they helped? What kind of certifications does the provider have?
- Types of service offered. Will you receive basic counseling or in-depth, hands-on help with making a budget and paying down debt? Which services are free and which ones are fee-based?
- Client feedback. Read reviews and testimonials from previous clients to get a better sense of their effectiveness and customer service. Credit problems are stressful enough on their own, so finding a counseling service that has a good reputation can ease your worries during the process of turning over a new leaf.
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.
Compare Credit Counseling Services
Select any 2 Credit Counseling Services to compare them head to head
Trending Credit Counseling News
Related Credit Counseling Service Reviews
Since you're interested in Credit Counseling Services, here are some other reviews you might find interesting.
Newest Reviews
