Certified Credit Counseling with a Focus on Financial Education
In 30 years, Consolidated Credit has helped over 10.2 million people find relief from credit card debt to achieve real financial stability
Credit card debt problems are running rampant in the U.S. today. Americans owe more than $840 billion, and we just keep adding more every year. But the truth is that most people aren’t taking on debt because they’re irresponsible. These days, most credit card debt comes from challenges like lack of income, emergency expenses, and out-of-pocket medical bills.
That’s why we believe that solving people’s challenges with credit card debt today requires more than just a program that can help them become debt-free. True financial stability takes education and application, and that’s what we help our customers do. Consolidated Credit is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit credit counseling agencies and we’ve spent over a quarter of a century helping people find financial freedom.
Consolidated Credit’s mission: To assist families throughout the United States to end financial crises and solve money management issues through education and professional counseling.
“Without financial education, financial stability is just a dream,”
Gary Herman, President of consolidated credit
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30 Years of Financial Education
Consolidated Credit opened its doors 30 years ago to provide personalized, nonprofit, certified credit counseling services to people facing challenges with debt. The idea was simple: Help consumers overcome their current challenges with debt and build better financial strategies to avoid debt in the future. And that’s never been more important than it has been in the past two years as the country grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic.
I decided to buy a home because I wanted to settle down with my family.
In order for me to get a new house I needed to pay all my debt.
Where we were renting it kept increasing.
It was challenging to get, you know, like an organization to lend you the money.
We still had this mortgage payment that was going up and up and up.
Unemployment was really low so my bills were piling up on top of each other.
All roads led to Consolidated Credit.
One of my neighbors told me about Consolidated Credit.
Through Consolidated Credit they sent me an email first time home buyers.
A very, very important support that you get in this process that it can be traumatizing sometimes.
I really like that they had different people coming in from different areas.
Every time I called I felt the one that’s over the phone that they were my personal teams.
I think without the class, like I said, I don’t know if we have this house right.
Now after I finish my debt management program and the House Counseling my credit score went to 790.
I know this is ours and that is great and wonderful comfort.
I would definitely recommend Consolidated Credit.
I truly thank Consolidated Credit and the team for everything that they reached out and did for me.
We come to work every day because nothing feels better than helping people lead better lives, but we couldn’t do any of that without our partners. Simply put they help us help Millions.
Consolidated credit is one of our great partners who comes in and not only teaches Financial education and literacy to our students, but also to the parents.
Everybody is very appreciative and found this boot camp to be worth their time and it’s certainly worth our effort and we’re just so eager to have them.
It’s great to have a partner in the community that we can refer them to.
Consolidated Credit has been a long time supporter and partner of Junior Achievement of South Florida
We look for someone who has a great reputation in the community, is actively involved in financial education, that we can partner with with all of our similar programs. So we’re so so so grateful to Consolidated Credit for their assistance and support, not just financially, but every year they come and bring toiletries and food and just so many things that help us to respond to the challenges that people in our community are facing.
This partnership with Consolidated Credit Solutions we’re changing lives. We are Building intergenerational Wealth and we are building Independence for the families that we serve. Thank you Consolidated Credit Solutions for this amazing partnership with Habitat for Humanity
You folks do a phenomenal job and and it’s so important to educate uh everybody uh plus our men and women that serve our country.
The more financial literacy you have among a city the better your city is going to be, so we appreciate having Consolidated Credit in our city.
KOFE is a financial wellness program that has different features. The online features is a portal that we give to the corporation to put on their intranet. Employees will have access to a lot of different tools also a dedicated toll-free line so the employees will have access throughout the year to unlimited and free financial coaching.
Employers are noticing that nowadays employees are not only finding themselves with health issues but also having a lot of problems with their personal finances, and they’re also finding that personal finances are affecting the bottom line of the company, so employers are reaching out to Consolidated Credit more and more, looking for that corporate financial wellness program that it can add to that mix of offerings they have in their Wellness initiatives.
We’re here to educate and Inspire and meet you where you are.
We’re counselors. We’re committed to helping people who need it most and to make the debt-free journey as easy as possible.
We get people on the road to financial stability and on the road to home ownership and at an eviction foreclosure and overwhelming debt
We’re the Guiding Light to Financial freedom.
We’re here to be a good partner, to solve problems, and do what’s best for our mutual client.
We’ve been doing this for 30 years. we’re committed to providing financial literacy education across the country. We will keep advocating for those who need help and working with financial institutions to provide the best possible outcomes. We Stand ready for the challenges that the next 30 Years will bring.
We are Consolidated Credit!
Advocating for consumers since 1993
It’s our job to be advocates for every client we work with. We’re not here to judge. We’re here to help our clients become debt-free, by being a negotiator and a liaison with their creditors and a support system if they run into any trouble. That’s our core philosophy. We’re constantly looking for new ways to help people find better ways to deal with their debt, credit and money.
As the nation’s largest nonprofit credit counseling agency, Consolidated Credit has counseled over 10 million people who have faced challenges with credit card debt. We continue to be a leader in financial education, providing over 300 hours of education through workshops, webinars, and wellness fairs each year.
In 2008 when the housing market collapsed, we added a housing counseling department to help homeowners find solutions to avoid foreclosure. Our director worked with HUD and the FHA to establish programs like the Florida Hardest Hit Fund to help people avoid foreclosure, in spite of the high unemployment rates brought on by the Great Recession.
Financial education partnerships
Consolidated Credit is proud that we’ve partnered with over 500 nonprofit organizations, municipal groups, and government agencies to bring financial education to the people who need it most. We work with organizations like the United Way to help low-income families learn the skills they need to become financially stable. These partnerships allow us to provide financial literacy education to the underserved communities that need it most.
[On-screen text] United Way of Broward County
Kathleen Cannon, United Way of Broward County CEO: I would definitely recommend somebody to Consolidated Credit. Folks get into a great deal of difficulty with debt. So, they start charging on their credit cards, they’re overextended and that they don’t realize how long it really takes to get out of that predicament.
So, Consolidated Credit is one of the things, that you really come in and help people move past their debt. United Way, we work with our funded partners, our other nonprofits and often what we do is work with those organizations to bring Consolidated Credit in, so that Consolidated Credit can do seminars and workshops with the staff of those agencies.
And we have found that all of our partners working in nonprofit, we’re so busy taking care of clients and consumers and the community that sometimes we forget about taking care of ourselves. I know folks who have been tumbling out of control. It’s one call and they felt better. They came in, they met with people and worked through the coaching and really got great assistance. And I know that those folks have referred people as well.
If together we can work with our residents who are struggling, those residents will eventually become financially stable, will be consumers of service, will open businesses, will be blossoming and blooming. So, the synergy between United Way and Consolidated Credit is really community oriented.
- S. Army OneSource and the Department of Defense at Southern Command work closely with Consolidated Credit provide financial education outreach to military Service Members and Veterans.
- Our staff works closely with Junior Achievement local school districts in South Florida to provide financial education to youth.
- We host and attend over 300 workshops and wellness fairs each year and offer free monthly webinars that cover a variety of financial topics.
Learn more about our partnerships and outreach »
Why we focus on financial education
What we’ve learned in 30 years of credit counseling is that most financial challenges are rooted in the same thing. Most of us never learned about personal finance and how to make good, strategic decisions with our money when we were young. As a result, we all basically learn by trial and error. But financial errors cost people their money, their credit and the years it can take to recover.
So, while Consolidated Credit’s debt management program can help people get out of debt, the key to helping them stay that way is financial education. By learning how to budget, save, break credit dependence, and set achievable goals, people can meet the financial challenges they face.
We also strive to make financial education as fun, easy and as engaging as possible. From personal finance tips on people’s favorite social networks, to contests that give you a little incentive to learn.
Get details on Consolidated Credit’s latest contests »
Fostering financial wellness in the workplace
Consolidated Credit created the Financial Wellness in the Workplace program to help employers provide financial education to their employees. From simple self-help publication libraries in office buildings, this program evolved into a full-scale benefits platform known as KOFE (Knowledge of Financial Education).
KOFE takes a three-prong approach to building financial literacy. It’s the same strategy we use to help our members. Through a combination of online resources, classroom learning, and one-on-one coaching, anyone can learn how to manage their money effectively. Today, KOFE is used by private corporations, municipal agencies, school districts, financial institutions, and insurers to help their employees, members, constituents, and customers learn how to achieve and maintain long-term financial stability.
Meet our team
Our leadership team collectively has over a century of experience in helping people achieve freedom from debt while building financial literacy. Click on the pictures below to learn more about each member.
Financial Advisory Council
Consolidated Credit is proud to announce the inception of our Financial Advisory Council. Comprised of some of the top financial literacy advocates in South Florida, our collective aim is the advocation of financial literacy. Get to know just a few of the members who make it possible.
Introducing Consolidated Credit’s Financial Advisory Council »
Certified credit counselors
All of Consolidated Credit’s credit counselors are certified debt management professionals that maintain a strict code of ethics. When people first contact us, they work one-on-one with a member of this team to find the right solution and set up a budget.
Get to know Consolidated Credit’s counselors »
Client services representatives that really care
Once someone enrolls in a debt management program, our client services representatives (CSRs) are here to make sure everything goes smoothly. They answer questions and help members stay on track.
Meet Consolidated Credit’s client services team »
HUD-approved housing counselors
From helping first-time homebuyers overcome the hurdles of achieving home ownership, to helping homeowners avoid foreclosure and understand their equity, our HUD-approved housing counseling team helps people secure their part of the American Dream.
Want to join the Consolidated Credit team? Send your resume to [email protected] or apply to be a CSR online now!
Learn more about career opportunities with Consolidated Credit »
Consolidated Credit in the Media
Defaulting on a Loan Can Have Serious Consequences, but You Have Options to Avoid Default. Here’s How to Take Action
February 3, 2022
Although missing or being late on a payment for your loan can have serious consequences, “lenders are willing to work with people, so you shouldn’t be afraid to reach out,…
Read MoreWhy I Budget for the Holidays on January 1
December 21, 2021
While charging holiday expenses on a credit card is nothing new for many Americans, in fact a 2020 survey by Consolidated Credit found that 30% of people use their credit card…
Read MoreNBC 5 Responds: How to Budget Smart This Holiday Season
November 29, 2021
With product shortages and supply chain issues, April Lewis-Parks, Financial Education Director for Consolidated Credit, advises not to delay on beginning your shopping and us…
Read MoreConsolidated Credit Press Center
Miramar Sets the Bar on Financial Literacy
August 21, 2023
KOFE’s first municipal partner will educate both employees and residents. August 21, 2023, Miramar, FL – The City of Miramar has become one of the first in the nation to de…
Read MoreConsolidated Credit Clients Budget Better than Other Americans – and the Reason Why is Simple
April 12, 2023
A survey conducted during Financial Literacy Month shows education makes all the difference, even in a rocky economy. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., April 12, 2023&nbs…
Read MoreConsolidated Credit Takes the Next Step in Financial Education with New Panel of Experts
May 17, 2022
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., May 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — After nearly three decades of helping more than 10 million people get out of debt, Consolidated Credit has create…
Read More