CCCS of Northeastern Iowa

image of logo for Consumer Credit Counseling for Northwest Iowa

CCCS of Northeastern Iowa’s mission is to help you: manage your money more effectively and get out of debt.

Our credit counseling is free and confidential. Certified credit counselors can take the fear out of the experience. CCCS of Northeastern Iowa’s are nationally certified by the National Foundation for Credit Counselors. Each counselor has completed course study from Purdue University and met the minimum requirements. Our counselors recertify every two years to stay updated on current events and skills. The curriculum certifies our counselors in both credit and housing counseling.

A move to reduce our use of paper has streamlined the initial process, making it easier and faster for you to get the help you need.

Your first step: compile financial information.

Assemble all of your bills (for rent or mortgage, utilities, telephone, cable, Internet, credit cards and other loans) and most recent paycheck stubs from all sources of income.

Next: call your local office (click here for phone numbers).

A certified credit counselor will take that financial information over the phone, or review it with you if you’d rather submit a completed Information Sheet online. Then you’ll be e-mailed a Statement of Services, which details all the possible services we can offer you. You initial and date, then return via e-mail (or submit online by clicking here).

Then: make an appointment.

During your first confidential session with a certified counselor, you will complete the Sharpen Your Financial Focus survey, reviewyour bills and talk about your current financial situation. She or he will help you set up a budget and develop a plan of action to control your debt.

Here are the programs and services we offer:

Financial Counseling

One of our certified credit counselors will conduct a confidential session with you to go over your spending plan and develop an action plan to meet your financial goals. You may meet one on one with a counselor or the appointment can be conducted via the telephone.

Military OneSource

CCCS of Northeastern Iowa is now partnered with Military OneSource to offer short-term, solution-focused financial counseling. Financial counseling is available at no cost to active duty, Guard and Reserve members (regardless of activation status) and their families, as well as deployed Department of Defense civilians and their families. Read more

Debt Management Plan

A debt management plan helps you pay your creditors on time, avoid late fees, improve your credit score, and climb out of debt. You deposit with Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Northeastern Iowa a specific amount of money your creditors need. This also pays the costs of your plan. You will receive our credit education book, and a class schedule. The counselor walks you through the paperwork and then contacts creditors to start the process. Now you are on the road to debt recovery and better money management.

Credit Report Reviews

Knowing what is in your credit report is important, as many lenders and businesses use it to decide if they want to do business with you. Even employers are checking credit files to make hiring, firing and promotion decisions. Whether it is a single Equifax credit report or a tri-merge credit report from all three bureaus (Equifax, Experian and Trans Union), let one of our experienced certified credit counselors help you understand what your credit report is telling others about you. Call to schedule a credit report review with one of our counselors.

Bill Paying Accounts

Under a bill paying account, we pay more than your credit card debt. You deposit your paychecks and receive weekly payments. We help you learn how to manage money more effectively. A counselor will give you more specifics when you visit.

Housing Counseling

Whether you want to buy a home, afford the home you’re already in, or face foreclosure, we can help.

Pre-purchase Homeownership Counseling
CCCS provides pre-purchase counseling and education classes. This counseling and education helps first-time or seasoned buyers to understand the home buying process.

HECM (Reverse Mortgage) Counseling

CCCS conducts this counseling for seniors who want to stay in their homes but need additional capital to do so.

Loss Mitigation

CCCS can help you find a solution to foreclosure problems even before they happen. Our HUD-certified credit counselors will help you with your housing concerns. We provide both in-person and telephone counseling.

Recognize the warning signs, call us and we can communicate with your lender for you. Your best bet is to face a potential foreclosure early. Don’t wait. Waiting will only make your financial situation worse.

Our HUD-certified counselors will assist you with foreclosure prevention.

Bankruptcy

In October of 2005, bankruptcy law changed. Now anyone filing for bankruptcy must receive credit counseling before filing, and credit education before the debt is discharged.

Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Northeastern Iowa has been offering pre-filing bankruptcy counseling and pre-discharge credit education since 2005, in compliance with guidelines from the Department of Justice (the federal regulator on bankruptcy). That means we meet Department of Justice standards for counseling and education. (DOJ does not endorse nor assure the quality of any provider’s service.)

Occasionally a counselor can help the person find a better alternative. Our goal is to help the client find a meaningful way of handling his or her debt for now and the future. Debt is with us for all of our lives—it just must be manageable debt.

MoneyMap Courses

Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Northeastern Iowa is your leader for financial literacy and credit education.

Find your way with MoneyMap, our exclusive series of educational programs designed to help you with various aspects of your financial life. Thanks to generous sponsors and grantors we are able to offer our classes at reduced rates or provide full course scholarships.

For more information about a CPR member agency near you Contact Us

Posted on November 13, 2017 in Agency Spotlight

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Todd Montague

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Director of Software Development at CPR.
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