At a Glance
Rating Breakdown
Performance Overview
Scores out of 5, based on our editorial analysis
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)
screen sharing was a game changer
Counselor shared her screen and walked me through my credit report line by line. Showed exactly which accounts to enroll and projected payoff dates. Phone can't do this. Shoutout to Sarah who made the whole thing visual.
strong in the southeast
I'm in Portland OR so everything was remote. Video helped close the gap but SE-focused counselors weren't familiar with my state's housing programs. For pure DMP doesn't matter. For housing counseling outside the SE go local.
coordinated DMP with home buying timeline
Had card debt and wanted to buy a home in 3 years. Clearpoint structured the DMP to finish in 36 months then advised on explaining the DMP notation to FHA underwriters. Even drafted the explanation letter. 38 months later closed on a house. No other agency would have coordinated both.
soft pull only
Just confirming for anyone worried: they do a soft pull during counseling. Does NOT affect your score. Counselor shared the report on screen during our video session.
ok I guess
Clearpoint helped me with credit cards and student loans at the same time. The video session was really useful, counselor walked me through my whole credit report on screen. Monthly fee was reasonable.
one creditor rejected DMP terms
4 of 5 cards enrolled. The 5th was a credit union card that has their own hardship program and doesn't participate with NFCC agencies. Had to handle it separately. Partial enrollment works but it's annoying.
best portal among nonprofits
Real-time balance tracking, payment confirmations, projected debt-free date that updates as you pay. Miles ahead of ACCC's portal.
video depends on your wifi
Had 2 choppy sessions because my apartment wifi is bad. Counselor switched to phone which worked but defeated the purpose. If you have mediocre internet the video feature that makes Clearpoint special becomes useless.
good price point
$25-40/mo is lower than GreenPath or InCharge. Video counseling, good portal, housing expertise, student loan help. Best value across NFCC agencies.
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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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We make money from some companies on this page. That doesn't change our rankings -- the editorial team scores every product independently, and the business side has no say in what we recommend.