NFCC Nonprofit Credit Counseling
Last updated August 2026
Drowning in card balances or collection calls? A nonprofit credit counselor will look at your whole picture and hand you a plan, free. The NFCC is the oldest network of these counselors in the country, running since 1951. It has more than 1,500 certified counselors at nonprofit agencies. Start at nfcc.org or call 800-388-2227.
The first session costs nothing and takes 30 to 60 minutes. You go through your income, debts, and goals with one counselor. You leave with a written action plan. Help comes in English and Spanish.
If the numbers call for it, the counselor may suggest a debt management plan. The agency talks to your creditors for you. Interest rates come down, late fees get dropped, and everything folds into one smaller monthly payment. You pay the debt, not a settlement company's markup. No hidden fees.
Know the difference before you sign anything anywhere. For-profit settlement companies charge steep fees to maybe cut what you owe, and the damage lands on your credit. Nonprofit help starts free, and its plans pay your creditors in full at better terms.
The same counselors handle more than credit cards. Housing and foreclosure help, student loans, budgets, bankruptcy choices, small business money. If money stress is the problem, this is a safe first call.
Phone 1-800-388-2227
Updated August 2026 Program details can change — confirm with the program directly.
Who qualifies
- Available to everyone
You may qualify. The program makes the final decision.
How to apply
- 1
Call 800-388-2227 or start at nfcc.org, where an agency finder and video chat can connect you.
- 2
Book the free first session. Set aside 30 to 60 minutes.
- 3
Have your numbers handy: income, monthly bills, and balances on each debt.
- 4
Walk through it with the counselor and get your written action plan.
- 5
If a debt management plan fits, review the terms: one monthly payment, lower rates, fees dropped.
- 6
Ask about their other help if you need it: housing, student loans, bankruptcy guidance.
What the application looks like
Common questions
Is NFCC credit counseling really free?
The first counseling session and your personalized action plan are free. If you enroll in a debt management plan afterward, the agency explains any modest plan fee up front. No hidden fees.
What happens in a credit counseling session?
A 30 to 60 minute one-on-one review of your income, debts, and goals, ending with a written action plan. By phone, online, or in person, in English or Spanish.
What is a debt management plan?
The agency works with your creditors to lower interest rates, drop late fees, and combine your debts into one smaller monthly payment. You pay the debt in full at better terms.
How is this different from debt settlement?
Settlement companies are for-profit and charge big fees to negotiate paying less, which batters your credit. NFCC agencies are nonprofit, start free, and their plans pay creditors in full at reduced rates.
Can they help with more than credit cards?
Yes: housing and foreclosure prevention, student loan counseling, budgeting, bankruptcy guidance, and small business finances.
Not sure this is the right program for your situation?
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