Nonprofit Counseling
Financial Counseling Programs
Some money problems begin with debt. Others begin with a mortgage, a credit report, or a bankruptcy requirement. Money Fit helps you start with the question in front of you, understand the options, and choose a practical next step.
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Save more than $250 per month on average*
Clients who enroll in a Money Fit debt management plan reduce their total monthly debt payments by more than $250 on average.
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One monthly payment and a faster payoff path
Combine eligible debts into one payment and work toward paying balances in full sooner than making minimum payments alone.
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A practical plan and greater peace of mind
Know what you will pay, where the money goes, and what happens next, with support available along the way.
*Based on 2025 Money Fit debt management plan enrollment data. Individual payment changes and results vary.
Working with major creditors through a debt management plan
Money Fit works with many major credit card issuers and unsecured creditors. If a plan fits your budget and an account is eligible, you make one monthly payment to Money Fit and we send the funds to participating creditors.
The logos are examples, not a complete list or an endorsement. Participation and available terms depend on the creditor and account.
Start with the kind of question you need answered
If credit card payments or other unsecured debts are the concern, use the form on this page to request free nonprofit credit counseling. A counselor will review the debts, monthly payments, and household budget with you. There is no obligation to enroll in a debt management plan.
Housing counseling, bankruptcy counseling, and a free credit report review each have a different process. Choose the matching service below so you reach the right team and receive the correct instructions.
You do not have to take our word for it
Money Fit is the consumer service of Debt Reduction Services, Inc. You can confirm the agency's memberships in the public directories maintained by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling and the Financial Counseling Association of America.
Which concern brought you here?
You do not need to know the name of a program. Start with the situation you are trying to understand or improve.
Debt payments are taking over the budget
Review credit cards, unsecured loans, medical bills, collections, payday loan balances, and the monthly payment pressure they create.
You have a housing question
Get help preparing to buy a home, understanding mortgage readiness, reviewing reverse mortgage requirements, or working through other housing concerns.
You need a required course or a clearer credit report
Complete bankruptcy counseling or debtor education at the correct stage, or sit down with a counselor to review the information on your credit reports.
Money Fit counseling programs
Each service has its own purpose, intake process, and next steps. The program page will tell you what to expect, what it costs, and what to have ready.
Credit Counseling
Review your budget, credit cards, unsecured debts, and repayment options with a nonprofit counselor. The counseling session is free.
Housing Counseling
Work with a HUD-approved housing counselor on homebuyer preparation, mortgage readiness, reverse mortgages, HOEPA requirements, or other housing needs.
Bankruptcy Counseling and Education
Complete the approved pre-filing credit counseling course before filing or the post-filing debtor education course before discharge.
Free Credit Report Review
Meet with a counselor to look through your credit reports, identify what needs attention, and leave with clearer next steps.
Debt help for people who serve their communities
Money Fit offers specific fee benefits for active-duty servicemembers, veterans, first responders, care professionals, and teachers. The counseling itself remains focused on the household budget and debts, not the job title.
Active Duty and Veterans
Active-duty servicemembers pay $0 in Money Fit credit counseling and debt management plan fees. Veterans receive 50% off the Money Fit enrollment fee when they enroll in a qualifying plan.
First Responders and Care Professionals
Qualifying first responders, frontline healthcare workers, and care professionals receive 50% off the Money Fit enrollment fee for a qualifying program.
Teachers and School Employees
Qualifying teachers and school employees receive 50% off the Money Fit enrollment fee when they enroll in a qualifying debt management or payday loan consolidation program.
What to expect from a counseling conversation
The details depend on the service, but useful counseling begins with the full picture and ends with clear next steps.
Explain what is happening
Tell the counselor what brought you in, what feels most urgent, and what you hope to understand or change.
Review the relevant details
That may include income, expenses, debts, credit reports, housing documents, court requirements, or lender information.
Leave knowing what comes next
You should understand the options discussed, what you are responsible for, and whether another professional or program is needed.
Counseling should make the next decision easier to understand
Money problems are often connected. Debt affects the housing budget. A mortgage application raises credit questions. A bankruptcy course may lead to a larger conversation about rebuilding.
The counselor's job is to help you see those connections without losing sight of the question that brought you in.
You should not have to arrive with the answer
People often delay asking for help because they are not sure which program they need, or because they believe they should have the whole situation organized first.
Start with what you know. A counselor can help identify the missing information and explain which questions belong with Money Fit, a lender, a housing program, an attorney, or another qualified professional.
What counseling can help with, and where its role ends
Counseling can help you understand the financial side of a decision. It does not replace a lender, court, attorney, tax professional, or government benefit program.
Counseling can organize the information
A counselor can help you work through a budget, debts, credit reports, housing documents, or course requirements in a more manageable order.
A debt management plan is one possible outcome
If eligible unsecured debts and the household budget support a plan, Money Fit can explain the proposed payment and known creditor terms before you decide.
Results and program terms can vary
Creditor participation, concessions, account treatment, housing options, lender decisions, fees, credit reporting, and timing depend on the service and circumstances.
Legal decisions need legal advice
Money Fit does not tell you whether to file bankruptcy, represent you in court, or answer legal questions about lawsuits, judgments, or foreclosure.
Talk through your debts with a nonprofit counselor
Share a few details so Money Fit can look at your debts, monthly payments, and household budget. You can understand the options before deciding whether any repayment plan makes sense for you.
Calling or submitting a request does not require enrollment in a debt management plan.
Frequently asked questions
Which counseling program should I choose?
Start with the issue that needs attention first. Credit card or unsecured debt usually starts with credit counseling. Homebuying, mortgage, reverse mortgage, or other housing questions start with housing counseling. Bankruptcy filing requirements use bankruptcy counseling or debtor education. Credit report questions can begin with a free credit report review.
Is Money Fit credit counseling free?
Yes. Money Fit credit counseling is free, and you are not required to enroll in a debt management plan. Housing counseling, bankruptcy courses, and other services may have fees, which are explained on their program pages before you begin.
Is there an obligation to enroll in a program?
No. Counseling is meant to help you understand the options. If a debt management plan or another service is discussed, Money Fit explains the details before you decide.
Is credit counseling a loan or debt settlement?
No. Credit counseling does not create a new loan and it is not debt settlement. A debt management plan is a structured way to repay eligible unsecured debts through a nonprofit credit counseling agency. Money Fit does not ask you to stop paying creditors as a negotiation tactic or promise reduced principal balances.
Can housing counseling help with mortgage or homebuying questions?
Yes. Money Fit provides HUD-approved housing counseling for homebuyer preparation, mortgage readiness, reverse mortgages, HOEPA requirements, and other housing needs. Counseling does not guarantee mortgage approval, lender action, financial assistance, or program eligibility.
Can Money Fit tell me whether I should file bankruptcy?
No. Money Fit provides approved bankruptcy counseling and debtor education, but the decision to file is a legal question. Speak with a qualified bankruptcy attorney or legal aid organization for legal advice.
Does a credit report review create a hard inquiry?
No. Money Fit's free credit report review helps you understand reports you obtain for the counseling session. Money Fit does not make a lending decision or place a hard inquiry on your credit report.
Does Money Fit sell my information to debt companies?
No. Your information stays with Money Fit. Money Fit does not sell it or send it to a marketplace of lenders or debt companies. We use the information you share to respond to your request and review possible next steps.
