Credit.org — Free Nonprofit Credit Counseling
Last updated August 2026
Credit.org is the safe kind of debt help: a nonprofit, HUD-approved agency where the first session is free and there are no products to sell. Counselors handle credit counseling, debt management plans, and housing counseling (including foreclosure prevention), all by phone, from anywhere in California.
The first session works like this. You call (800) 431-8157, a counselor walks through the whole money picture (what you owe, to whom, what's behind, what's coming in), and you leave the call with an actual plan instead of a pitch. Have rough numbers handy before you dial; the conversation is only as useful as the picture you can paint.
A debt management plan, if the counselor recommends one and you choose it, consolidates payments through the agency while they work with your creditors. Foreclosure prevention runs on the housing counseling side, where earlier is everything: call at the first missed mortgage payment, not when a sale date exists. HUD approval is your quality marker here; it separates regulated nonprofit counseling from the ads. If you rent rather than own, housing counseling still applies, and HUD Housing Counseling at 1-800-569-4287 is the national version of the same free service.
Related doors when debt has escalated: NFCC Nonprofit Credit Counseling is the national network of agencies like this one, at 1-800-388-2227. A collector filing a lawsuit turns this into legal territory, where GBLA helps low-income Kern County residents free at (661) 325-5943. And CAPK's free VITA tax service can claim credits like the EITC, money that goes straight at the balances.
Phone (800) 431-8157
Updated August 2026 Program details can change — confirm with the program directly.
Who qualifies
- Anyone struggling with debt, credit, or housing costs
- Counseling available by phone from anywhere in California
You may qualify. The program makes the final decision.
What the application looks like
Common questions
Is Credit.org really free?
Your first counseling session is free, and they have no products to sell you. Call (800) 431-8157.
Can they help me avoid foreclosure?
Yes. Housing counseling, including foreclosure prevention, is part of the service, and the agency is HUD-approved. Call at the first missed payment; earlier means more options.
Do I have to go somewhere in person?
No. Everything happens by phone, so it works from anywhere in California.
What should I have ready for the first call?
Rough numbers: what you owe and to whom, what's past due, and your monthly income. Exact figures can come later; the first session is about seeing the whole picture and picking a direction.
How is this different from the debt relief companies that advertise?
Credit.org is nonprofit and HUD-approved, the first session costs nothing, and nobody earns a commission on you. Before signing with any for-profit outfit, ask what they charge and compare it to free.
What kinds of debt can they work with?
Bring everything you owe to the conversation and let the counselor sort what a debt management plan can include. The first session reviews the whole picture, not one account.
Not sure this is the right program for your situation?
See all Bakersfield / Kern County, CA programs →Free · Private · No account needed