At a Glance
Rating Breakdown
About Clearpoint Credit Counseling
Clearpoint Credit Counseling Solutions is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1966 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. With over a million clients served, Clearpoint covers the full range of financial counseling — debt management, housing counseling, and student loan advising. Clearpoint has invested more heavily in technology than most NFCC agencies. They were among the first nonprofit counseling agencies to offer secure video counseling sessions, which eliminates the in-person barrier that historically limited access for rural consumers. Their online portal is more sophisticated than average, providing real-time balance tracking, payment confirmation, and projected payoff dates. What makes Clearpoint particularly notable is the breadth of their housing counseling program. As a HUD-approved agency, they handle pre-purchase counseling, foreclosure prevention, reverse mortgage counseling, and rental counseling. This housing expertise matters for debt management clients because it means Clearpoint counselors can evaluate how your DMP interacts with homeownership goals — for example, whether enrolling in a DMP will affect your ability to qualify for an FHA loan, which requires a letter of explanation for any third-party debt management program on your credit report.
Key Features
Full-Service Housing Counseling
HUD-approved for pre-purchase, foreclosure prevention, reverse mortgage, and rental counseling. Clearpoint counselors understand how DMP enrollment appears on your credit report and can advise on timing if you are planning a home purchase.
Video Counseling Platform
Secure video sessions with screen-sharing capability allow counselors to walk you through your credit report, budget, and DMP proposal in real time. This bridges the gap between phone-only agencies and in-person offices without requiring you to travel.
Student Loan Navigation
Specialized counselors help you understand federal repayment programs, PSLF eligibility, and consolidation trade-offs. Unlike for-profit student loan companies that charge fees for help with free government programs, Clearpoint provides this analysis at no cost.
Advanced Online Client Portal
Real-time tracking of individual creditor balances, payment disbursement confirmations, and projected debt-free date calculations. The portal is meaningfully better than the basic tracking offered by most NFCC agencies.
How It Works
Free Session
Pick your format — phone, video, or in person — and schedule a free session at no cost.
Financial Review
Your counselor goes through your income, debts, and goals to figure out which approach actually works for your numbers.
Plan Creation
You get a DMP proposal or an alternative action plan — whichever fits your situation better.
Creditor Negotiation
Clearpoint reaches out to each creditor to get rates reduced and fees waived.
Ongoing Support
You get regular check-ins with your counselor and full access to the online portal for tracking progress between sessions.
What They Do
- Debt Management Plans
- Credit Counseling
- Housing Counseling
- Student Loan Counseling
- Bankruptcy Education
Debt Types They Take On
- Credit Cards
- Medical Bills
- Personal Loans
- Store Cards
- Collections
Fee & Cost Structure
Regulatory & Trust
Review Summary
Notable Case Studies
DMP Coordinated With Home Purchase Timeline
Client with $24,000 in credit card debt at 20% APR wanted to buy a home within 3 years. Clearpoint structured a DMP with accelerated payments and provided a letter for the future mortgage application explaining the DMP enrollment on her credit report.
Combined Card Debt and Student Loan Strategy
Client with $18,000 in credit card debt plus $65,000 in federal student loans. Clearpoint enrolled the credit cards in a DMP at 2-6% and simultaneously helped restructure student loans into an income-driven plan, reducing total monthly obligations by $340.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Over 55 years of credit counseling experience with 1M+ clients
- Secure video counseling sessions with screen sharing
- Deep housing expertise — counselors understand DMP impact on mortgage qualification
- Lower monthly fees ($25-$40) than several competitors
- Strong online portal with real-time balance tracking and payment confirmations
Cons
- DMP requires full repayment of enrolled debts — no principal reduction
- Housing counseling office locations concentrated in the Southeast
- No debt settlement or negotiation of principal balances
- Video counseling quality depends on your internet connection
User Reviews (9)
video counseling with screen sharing was a game changer
My Clearpoint counselor shared her screen and walked me through my credit report line by line. Showed me exactly which accounts to enroll, projected payoff dates, and interest savings in real time. Phone counseling cant do this. Video sessions bridge the gap between phone and in-person beautifully. $24k enrolled after seeing the math laid out visually.
strong in the southeast, less presence elsewhere
Atlanta headquarters with offices across the Southeast. I'm in Portland OR and everything was remote. The video sessions helped close the distance gap but there are some state-specific housing programs that Clearpoint's SE-focused counselors weren't familiar with. For pure DMP work it didn't matter. For housing counseling outside the SE, consider a local agency. $22k enrolled.
DMP coordinated with my home buying timeline
Had $18k in card debt and wanted to buy a home in 3 years. Clearpoint structured my DMP to finish in 36 months with slightly higher payments, then advised on how to explain the DMP notation to FHA underwriters. They even drafted the explanation letter. 38 months later I closed on a house with a 680 score. No other agency would have coordinated both.
they pull your credit but its a soft pull
Clearpoint does a soft credit pull during your counseling session to review your accounts. Not a hard pull. My counselor shared the report on screen during our video session and went through each account. Just wanted to confirm for anyone worried: it does NOT affect your score. The pulled data was accurate and helped structure the DMP proposal. $27k enrolled.
credit card DMP + student loan restructure in one session
$21k in credit card debt plus $65k in federal student loans. Clearpoint enrolled the cards in a DMP at 2-6% AND helped me switch to REPAYE for the student loans. Monthly obligations dropped $340 total. One counselor, one session, two problems. The student loan piece was free. No other agency I spoke to could do both.
one of my creditors rejected the DMP terms
Had 5 cards. Clearpoint enrolled 4 successfully. The 5th (a credit union card) rejected the proposed terms because they have their own internal hardship program and dont participate with NFCC agencies on DMPs. I had to handle that card separately at the credit union's 9% hardship rate while paying the other 4 through Clearpoint at 2-5%. Partial enrollment works but its annoying.
best online portal among nonprofit agencies
Real-time balance tracking, payment disbursement confirmations, projected debt-free date that updates as you make payments. Clearpoint's portal is legitimately good - better than InCharge's and miles ahead of ACCC's. For someone who checks their finances daily, having a solid portal matters. $29k enrolled, 44 months to freedom.
video counseling quality depends on your connection
Had 2 video sessions that were choppy because my apartment wifi is mediocre. The counselor offered to switch to phone mid-session which worked fine but defeated the purpose of screen sharing. If you live in a rural area or have unreliable internet, the video feature that makes Clearpoint special becomes less useful. $20k enrolled.
$25-40/mo is a good price point
Clearpoint's monthly fees ($25-$40) are lower than GreenPath ($25-$50) and InCharge ($25-$50). Over 48 months the savings add up. And you get video counseling, a good portal, housing expertise, and student loan help. Best value proposition I found across all the NFCC agencies. $33k enrolled at 3-7% rates.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Important Credit Counseling Disclaimers
- Credit counseling agencies help you create a plan to repay your debts in full, typically over 3-5 years through a Debt Management Plan (DMP). Unlike debt settlement, a DMP does not reduce your principal balance.
- Nonprofit status does not mean free. Most nonprofit credit counseling agencies charge setup fees ($25-$75) and monthly maintenance fees ($25-$50). These fees are regulated and capped in most states.
- Enrolling in a DMP may require you to close enrolled credit card accounts, which can temporarily lower your credit score. However, consistent on-time payments through the DMP typically improve your score over time.
- A DMP is not a loan. You still owe each creditor individually; the agency distributes your single monthly payment to each creditor on your behalf.
- Credit counseling agencies negotiate reduced interest rates (often 0-9%) and waived fees with creditors, but not all creditors participate in every agency's program.
- Zogby does not provide credit counseling or debt relief services. We are an independent comparison service.
This page is informational, not financial or legal advice. Talk to a qualified professional before making any big money decisions.
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