At a Glance
Rating Breakdown
Performance Overview
Scores out of 5, based on our editorial analysis
About Consolidated Credit
Consolidated Credit is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit credit counseling agency founded in 1993 and based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. They claim to have helped over 10 million people through financial counseling, debt management, housing counseling, and educational resources. This figure deserves scrutiny: the 10 million count likely includes anyone who has accessed their educational content — downloaded a guide, watched a webinar, or used a calculator — not just clients who enrolled in a DMP or received one-on-one counseling. Consolidated Credit's genuine differentiator is the sheer volume and quality of their educational content. They have built the largest financial education library in the nonprofit credit counseling industry: hundreds of guides, infographics, calculators, webinars, and videos covering budgeting, credit building, debt payoff strategies, housing, and investing. This content ranks well in search engines and drives significant organic traffic to their website, which functions as both a public service and a lead generation engine. Their bilingual capabilities are also a real advantage. Consolidated Credit employs native Spanish-speaking counselors and has translated their entire educational library into Spanish — not just the intake forms and marketing materials. For the estimated 41 million Spanish-speaking adults in the U.S. who may need financial guidance, Consolidated Credit is one of the most accessible nonprofit options available. The trade-off of their content-heavy approach: the website can feel overwhelming and sales-oriented. Multiple CTAs, pop-ups, and chat widgets push visitors toward enrollment, which can create pressure that feels inconsistent with the nonprofit mission. The counseling itself is solid and NFCC-compliant, but the digital experience resembles a for-profit lead generation site more than a traditional nonprofit.
Key Features
Full Bilingual Services (English/Spanish)
Native Spanish-speaking counselors provide the same depth of counseling as English sessions — not just translated scripts. The entire educational library, website, and client portal are available in Spanish, making Consolidated Credit one of the most accessible agencies for Hispanic consumers.
Largest Educational Content Library
Hundreds of free guides, calculators, videos, infographics, and webinars on every financial topic. This content is useful and represents a significant public service — though it also functions as a lead generation tool that drives millions of visitors to Consolidated Credit's website annually.
Employer Financial Wellness Programs
Workplace financial wellness programs available for businesses of all sizes. These programs provide free financial education to employees and create a referral pipeline for Consolidated Credit's counseling services — a win-win structure that benefits both the workforce and the agency.
Bankruptcy Education Provider
Approved to provide court-mandated pre-filing and pre-discharge bankruptcy education courses. This certification means counselors can assess the full range of options including Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 — not just DMPs.
How It Works
Free Consultation
Talk to a certified counselor in English or Spanish. No fee, no commitment. They walk through everything before asking you to sign anything.
Financial Analysis
Your counselor digs into every account, every rate, every minimum payment. You get a clear picture of where you stand and what the real options are.
DMP Creation
If a DMP makes sense, they contact your creditors and negotiate reduced interest rates. You see the proposed numbers before you agree.
Single Payment
One payment each month to Consolidated Credit. They distribute it across all your enrolled accounts on time.
Debt Freedom
Done in 3-5 years. You repay the full principal but at rates that actually let you make progress instead of treading water.
What They Do
- Debt Management Plans
- Credit Counseling
- Housing Counseling
- Financial Education
- Bankruptcy Counseling
Debt Types They Take On
- Credit Cards
- Medical Bills
- Personal Loans
- Store Cards
- Collections
Fee & Cost Structure
Regulatory & Trust
Review Summary
Notable Case Studies
Spanish-Speaking Family Multi-Card DMP
Family with $38,000 across 7 credit cards at an average 23% APR needed counseling in Spanish to fully understand the options. Consolidated Credit assigned a bilingual counselor who walked through DMP math, settlement comparison, and self-pay scenarios in the family's first language before enrollment.
Employer Workshop to DMP Enrollment
Employee discovered during a Consolidated Credit workplace seminar that his $23,000 in store card and credit card debt at 27% average APR was generating $518/month in interest charges — nearly as much as his $550 minimum payment. Enrolled in a DMP the following week.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Full bilingual counseling and educational resources in Spanish
- Largest free financial education library in the nonprofit space
- 10 million+ people reached through counseling and education
- Employer financial wellness programs available
- client satisfaction with approved bankruptcy education courses
Cons
- Website feels aggressive with pop-ups and multiple CTAs — more like lead gen than nonprofit
- CFPB complaint volume proportionally higher than smaller agencies
- 10 million figure includes educational content consumers — not all DMP clients
- DMP requires full repayment of principal — no settlement option
User Reviews (9)
entire experience in Spanish
My parents speak only Spanish. Native-speaking counselor, portal in Spanish, educational materials in Spanish. Not a translation overlay - actually built in Spanish. For Spanish-speaking families probably the best option period.
10M "helped" is inflated
That number includes everyone who downloaded a PDF or used a calculator. Actual DMP clients are hundreds of thousands not millions. A rep confirmed this when I asked. My DMP was good but the marketing is aggressive.
website looks like a SCAM
Pop-ups chat widgets countdown timers "limited time" offers. Looks like a used car dealership not a nonprofit. The actual counseling was professional but if I hadn't seen the NFCC membership I would have assumed scam. Fix your website it's embarrassing for a nonprofit.
huge free education library
Hundreds of guides calculators videos. Spent a week reading before calling. The education itself was valuable regardless of enrolling.
showed me bankruptcy math too
Their counselors can honestly assess whether bankruptcy beats a DMP. Mine showed me the Chapter 7 math so I could compare. Agencies without the bankruptcy cert can't do that.
would recommend
would recommend
140 CFPB complaints
Higher than ACCC Apprisen or TCA. Complaint narratives mention enrollment pressure and payment errors. My experience was fine but 140 complaints means inconsistent service across their workforce.
fees vary wildly by state
Quoted $50/mo in Florida, friend got $35/mo in Texas for the same plan. Same agency different price. Ask your specific state fee before enrolling.
pushed DMP when balance transfer was CLEARLY better
Had 12k at 22% APR with a 680 score. PERFECT candidate for a 0% balance transfer card. My counselor never mentioned it. Pushed the DMP. I did my own research got approved for a Citi 0% BT card and saved over $2,000 in DMP fees I would have paid needlessly. Always research alternatives. ALWAYS. Don't just trust one agency's recommendation especially when they make money from the thing they're recommending.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Related Companies
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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