Is financial literacy a substitute or complement for financial advice? In this paper we analyze the decision by consumers to seek financial advice in the form of credit counseling concerning their credit and debt. Credit counseling is an important component of the consumer credit sector for...

Is financial literacy a substitute or complement for financial advice? In this paper we analyze the decision by consumers to seek financial advice in the form of credit counseling concerning their credit and debt. Credit counseling is an important component of the consumer credit sector for...

In the wake of the Great Recession, more Americans are turning their focus to personal financial recovery. Whether they are recovering from a setback such as unemployment or reduced income, increasing their rainy-day funds, shoring up retirement savings, reducing high-cost debt balances, or all...

Postrecession, the asset-building movement continues to gain momentum across the country. Individuals and families pursue wealth-building strategies based on such time-honored principles as budget to save, save to invest, credit building, controlling debt and protecting wealth once it has been...

The 2005 Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act (BAPCPA) includes two educational provisions which require debtors to complete an approved credit counseling course prior to filing for bankruptcy and a financial education course prior to the discharge. Recent debates have raised...

In an interview with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Todd Mark, vice president of education at Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS) of Greater Dallas, discusses the biggest issues clients are facing.

Vermont’s CASH Coalition, which helps low-income people build assets, is expanding outreach activities to include more Free Credit Report Review Days, free tax preparation, and Earned Income Tax Credit advice.

A recent study finds that telephone and face-to-face counseling can be equally effective and appear to generate equivalent outcomes for consumers' creditworthiness two years later. The increase in telephone and online counseling may encourage consumers to seek earlier assistance for their credit...

Government actions, combined with oversight and standardization from industry organizations, benefit consumers by enabling them to more easily identify agencies that work in their best interest and are certified to provide them with quality financial education.

Consumers can go online to get advice about choosing the right agency.

Bob Hunt outlines the history of credit counseling in the U.S. He also observes that, despite its long track record, the credit counseling industry is not without controversy. For example, in recent years, concerns about conflicts of interest and the emergence of a new type of credit counseling...