Teacher Debt Support
Credit Counseling for Teachers and Educators
If debt payments are making the school-year budget harder to manage, a nonprofit Money Fit counselor can help you look at the numbers and possible next steps. Qualifying teachers and education professionals receive 50% off the enrollment fee if they start a Money Fit debt management plan.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
A clearer look at the debt and the school-year budget
Credit counseling is free. You and a Money Fit counselor look at household income, essential expenses, debts, and the payment pressure you are feeling now. If your pay or expenses change during the summer, that belongs in the conversation too.
Qualifying education professionals receive 50% off the one-time Money Fit administrative enrollment fee if they decide to start a debt management plan. A monthly plan fee may still apply. Your counselor will explain the fee, the proposed payment, and the accounts that can be included before you enroll.
This is not a teacher student loan forgiveness program or a government grant. Money Fit does not cancel student loans. The focus is on understanding the whole budget and finding a practical way to handle credit cards and other debts that are competing for the same income.
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.
Who receives 50% off the enrollment fee
The discount is for qualifying teachers and other school-based education professionals. Tell us about your role when you speak with a counselor so we can confirm eligibility before you make any enrollment decision.
Qualifying educators
50% off the one-time Money Fit administrative enrollment fee- Free nonprofit credit counseling
- The discount is confirmed before enrollment
- No obligation to start a program after counseling
Roles commonly covered
- K-12 teachers and substitute teachers
- Early childhood educators
- Paraprofessionals and teacher assistants
- Classroom aides and school counselors
- Other school-based education professionals, depending on role and work setting
The discount applies to the one-time administrative enrollment fee for a qualifying debt management plan. Ongoing monthly participation fees may still apply and can vary by state and program. Exact eligibility and fee details are confirmed before enrollment.
If a debt management plan fits your budget
You make one monthly payment to Money Fit, and we send the funds to participating creditors. It is a structured way to repay eligible unsecured debts with support along the way. It is not a new loan, and it is not debt settlement.
Start with the household budget
We look at take-home pay, school-year and summer income patterns, essential expenses, and how much room is actually available for debt payments.
Look at each account
We review balances, rates, account status, and creditor participation to see which unsecured debts may fit the plan.
Review the plan together
You see the proposed payment, included accounts, available creditor terms, your discount, and what you would be responsible for before you decide.
What we will talk through with you
A school calendar can shape the household budget in ways a simple monthly worksheet misses. We look at the debts and the day-to-day costs that determine what you can comfortably pay throughout the year.
- Credit cards and other unsecured debts: balances, interest rates, minimum payments, due dates, and account status.
- Payday loans and collections: lender or collector details, payment pressure, and possible repayment paths.
- Income and timing: contract pay, 9-, 10-, or 12-month schedules, summer income changes, second jobs, household income, and the timing of bills.
- Required expenses: housing, food, transportation, childcare, insurance, medical costs, classroom supplies, certification costs, and family needs.
- Student loan payments: the payment can be included in the household budget, but Money Fit does not provide teacher loan forgiveness or cancel student debt.
- Your priorities: what needs attention first and what kind of payment you could keep making without falling short elsewhere.
A plan has to work through the whole school year
Some educators receive steady pay all year. Others have a summer income gap, pick up a second job, or spend more than expected on classroom and certification costs. The payment needs to account for the way your year actually works.
We build around the income you can reasonably count on, not the hope that every month will cooperate. If the numbers do not fit, we will tell you. You can still leave counseling with a clearer view of the debts and other options to consider.
What the discount does and does not change
The discount reduces a Money Fit enrollment fee. It does not cancel student loans or change the balances you owe. Other parts of a debt management plan depend on your accounts, creditors, state, program rules, and household budget.
Your debts are still repaid
The discount does not reduce principal balances. If you enroll in a debt management plan, your monthly payment goes toward repaying eligible debts.
Not every account will qualify
Account eligibility depends on debt type, status, creditor participation, program rules, and whether the proposed payment fits your budget.
Creditor terms can vary
Money Fit cannot promise a particular interest rate, fee concession, account treatment, credit result, or payoff date.
You decide after counseling
We explain the proposed payment, known terms, Money Fit fees, your discount, and what can vary before you choose whether to enroll.
Talk with a nonprofit credit counselor
Share a few details so Money Fit can look at your debts, monthly payments, school-year budget, and educator discount eligibility. You can understand the options before deciding whether a debt management plan makes sense for you.
Calling or submitting a request does not require enrollment in a debt management plan.
Frequently asked questions
Who qualifies for the educator discount?
Qualifying roles generally include K-12 teachers, substitute teachers, early childhood educators, paraprofessionals, teacher assistants, classroom aides, school counselors, and other school-based education professionals depending on the role and work setting. Money Fit confirms eligibility during intake.
What does the educator discount cover?
Qualifying education professionals receive 50% off the one-time Money Fit administrative enrollment fee when they start a debt management plan. A monthly participation fee may still apply and can vary by state and program. Exact fees and discount eligibility are confirmed before enrollment.
Is credit counseling free?
Yes. Money Fit credit counseling is free, and you are not required to enroll in a debt management plan or another service after counseling.
Can a debt management plan lower interest rates or fees?
Participating creditors may reduce interest rates or provide certain fee concessions on eligible accounts. Available terms depend on the creditor, account status, state, and program rules. Money Fit explains the known terms before enrollment.
Is this teacher student loan forgiveness?
No. This is not a federal student loan forgiveness program, government grant, or student loan cancellation program. Money Fit can include the student loan payment when reviewing your household budget, but the debt management plan is for eligible unsecured debts.
What debts can Money Fit review?
A counselor can review credit cards, payday loans, unsecured personal loans, collection accounts, medical bills, student loan payments, household expenses, and other obligations. Whether an account can be included in a debt management plan depends on the debt type, account status, creditor participation, program rules, and budget.
Is a debt management plan a loan or debt settlement?
No. A debt management plan is a structured repayment plan for eligible unsecured debts through a nonprofit credit counseling agency. Money Fit does not issue a new loan, ask you to stop paying creditors as a negotiation tactic, or promise reduced principal balances.
Do the creditor logos guarantee that my account can be included?
No. The logos are examples of major creditors Money Fit works with, not a complete list or an endorsement. Participation and available terms depend on the creditor, account status, and program rules.
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.
