CCCS of Buffalo - Dare to be Debt Free

What is Financial Counseling?  What is Credit Counseling?  What are Debt Management Plans?  What’s the Difference?!?!? Financial Counseling can also be called budget counseling or financial coaching.  This is a service provided by many nonprofit or for-profit service providers to review a personal budget.  An agency offering Financial Counseling may or may not be offering Credit Counseling and Debt Management.  When a Credit Counseling organization offers a Financial Counseling session, it will always include components regarding Credit Counseling and Debt Management.  Credit Counseling and Debt Management are often synonymous when locating information.  While very closely related, they are not the same activity.  Let’s first review what each of those truly are: ·          Credit Counseling is the process where a counselor reviews a consumer’s budget debt scenario that can be resolved through all the various methods available; including, 1) self-budgeting and po

Now able to help those who are in debt in New Mexico and Tennessee! 🦸‍♀️🦸‍♂️ We like to think of our staff as superheroes - helping people navigate their debt repayment options, while looking out for their best interests, goals, and person al circumstances! 1-800-926-9685

If you are struggling with debt, make sure your first call is to CCCS, your Money Mentors! Non-profit credit counseling agencies provide financial education and non-biased advice on debt repayment options. Additionally, CCCS can review a Debt Management Plan for those who it may be appropriate for - reduction in interest rates and a structured payment plan allows individuals to become debt free in 5 years or less. Contact CCCS to start your journey to a debt free future-now able to help those in Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, South Dakota too! 800-926-9685

The last recession was fueled, in part, by a mortgage crisis; economists warn that the U.S. may suffer a student loan crisis next. On a national level, graduates owe around $1.5 trillion in student loans — the largest source of household debt after housing — but it is at an individual level that the extent of the looming meltdown becomes clear. Analysis of recently-released data suggests that almost 40% of borrowers who entered college in 2004 may default on their student loans by 2023. Filing for bankruptcy is not an option, since “undue hardship” is the standard the borrower must meet despite the fact that the term has never been legally defined and can be liberally interpreted by a presiding judge. The CCCS Student Loan Counseling Program has been extremely successful, primarily due to the complexity of the student loan market.   Many individuals with student loans feel overwhelmed with anxiety and fear as they try to navigate options available during repayment, with some

And we keep growing! Now able to help residents in Louisiana, Washington and Hawaii  🌴  become debt free! Call 1-800-926-9685 or visit us at consumercreditbuffalo.org. Know the difference between Debt Management and Debt Settlement, and take advantage of the financial education and non-biased advice of a non-profit such as CCCS/Money Mentors. Our appointments are not consultations or a sales pitch, it is a true analysis of your unique financial situation and an honest review of what the pros and cons are to your various options to become debt free. 🤩 Louisiana 🤩 Washington 🤩 Hawaii ✔️ New York ✔️ D.C. ✔️ Oklahoma ✔️ West Virginia ✔️ North Carolina ✔️ Arkansas ✔️ Wyoming ✔️ Alaska

Get Help Now—Before You Spend Your Tax Return! Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS) encourages local residents to take advantage of its financial counseling and debt management services. Issues arise because many people have poor credit—or no credit.   CCCS can help folks with a variety of financial situations through their one on one financial counseling programs. As Tax Season unfolds, it presents a great opportunity to make a commitment to improving financial affairs. Recent information reveals that a majority of Americans live in precarious financial situations.   According to the Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED)’s Assets & Opportunity Scorecard , announcing that 51% of consumers don’t have prime credit, meaning if they can take out a loan, they are forced to do so at sometimes exorbitant rates. According to the CFED, “being unable to borrow from a mainstream lender can have devastating consequences on household family finances. One option

CCCS is growing, and hiring! Please share, resumes can be sent to robert.dunn@cccsbuffalo.org. Job Description Job Title:                      Financial Wellness Specialist                     (Full-Time) Supervisor:                         Vice President of Counseling   Summary: A Financial Wellness Specialist’s primary responsibility is to conduct counseling sessions with individuals and families regarding budgeting, debt and credit issues.   A Specialist will provide financial education and guidance while recommending various educational and community programs in order to improve clients’ financial situations.   Financial Wellness Specialist’s empower clients to take control of their financial lives, in an empathetic and compassionate manner, while always accounting for what will be in the client’s best interest based on the client’s unique situation. Financial Wellness Specialist’s also provide Counseling Intake support at the initial contact

Once again this year, Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Buffalo, Inc. (CCCS) has joined the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) and the United States Congress in recognizing April as Financial Literacy Month. Every April, individuals and organizations across the country draw attention to the importance of financial literacy and the need for more and better financial education through a variety of activities and initiatives. During Financial Literacy Month, CCCS is maximizing the opportunity to highlight financial education by offering free financial counseling for all military members, veterans and their families. Free financial counseling is also available for all low to moderate income individuals. In addition, all Niagara County residents can receive free services at CCCS’ office in Niagara Falls at Pinnacle Community Services, 1522 Main Street and in their Lockport office at the Dale Association, 33 Ontario Street. CCCS encourages all Western New Yorkers to

We are excited to announce that CCCS of Buffalo is expanding beyond our NY borders and we are now registered to serve the following states! ✔️ New York ✔️ D.C. ✔️ Oklahoma ✔️ West Virginia ✔️ North Carolina ✔️ Arkansas ✔️ Wyoming ✔️ Alaska CCCS provides credit counseling services to those living in the above states. This involves a comprehensive and holistic overview of debt repayment options based on an individual's income and monthly expenses. Nationally certified counselors review the pros and cons of various options, including a Debt Management Plan (DMP). Through a DMP, an individual makes one monthly payment to CCCS who then will send out each individual payment to each of their creditors on a monthly basis. When enrolled in a DMP individuals likely are able to lower their interest rates and become debt free in 5 years or less. CCCS is a nonprofit agency whose counselors are looking out for their clients' best interest.  If you or someone you know is s

Office Depot and OfficeMax stores offered customers a free “PC Health Check”, but according to the FTC, customers who used this "free service" between 2009 and 2016 were incorrectly and deceptively told their computers were infected with viruses. The results prompted some customers to purchase additional services from the companies, which cost customers up to $300. Office Depot, Inc. and Support.com, Inc. agreed to settled with the FTC to resolve these allegations. $35 million will be handed over to the FTC, and the FTC anticipates using these settlement monies for refunds. Complaints on matters such as these, or other areas such as Identity Theft and other scams can be submitted to the FTC here: https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/   Speak up, take action!

With average student loan debt per graduate a staggering $39,400, student loans continue to create problems for individuals, families and the economy at large. “ Student loans are in crisis with two in five borrowers likely to default within five years, ” states a study published in January 2018 by the Brookings Institute. Student Loan debt has become such a major issue that there is now a TV game show based entirely on the payment of student loan debt - TruTV’s Paid Off With Michael Torpey. Consumer Credit Counseling Service wants Western New York residents to know that although they cannot solve the student loan debt problem, they have a program that can help. It’s our region’s only program. CCCS began its program in 2012, in response to the need for education and assistance with student loans. In the past six years, we have helped 765 achieve a level of financial freedom previously unknown.   In our program, Nationally Certified Student Loan counselors work wi

  Be wary of ANY calls you receive from the IRS. Do not give in to fear tactics, the IRS will never call you to request payment or threaten lawsuits or arrests.   Tips: Don't share any of your information  -  Call the IRS directly at 1-800-428-1040 Never send money, gift cards or any other type of payment! Report these criminals -  You can do so through the FTC's website at ftc.gov/complaint . The more reports received, the more likely they can be caught and stopped! Share with your family and friends -   Don't let those who you know and love get taken advantage of! Check out this example of a scam call (made to a police officer!) https://youtu.be/XykKl6Afo6s

Did you know that the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program returns $1.9 billion to communities around the country each year? Free Tax Prep is vitally important because it financially empowers low income families. Free tax prep, along with the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) lifts 10 million Americans, including 5 million children out of poverty each year.   Our VITA program helps put money back into Niagara County residents' pockets and ultimately back into the local economy. We served 274 people during the 2018 tax season. These returns resulted in a total of $119,210 in Earned Income Tax Credits, and a total of $400,832 in refunds for our filers. Through our services, we saved over $95,900 in filing fees for our filers. Individuals can get their federal and state taxes filed for free at two Niagara County locations: Orleans/Niagara BOCES 50 Main Street, Lockport   Tuesdays 3:30 – 7:30 pm Pinnacle Community Services 1522 Main Street,

By Noelle Carter   CCCS of Buffalo is on a Mission. We are determined to ensure everyone has access to  financial counseling, from an expert who is looking out for their clients’ best interest, and not the bottom line of a large company’s profits. Unfortunately, for-profit companies have large advertising budgets and prey on consumers who are desperate, and in need of a cure-all for their financial troubles. The messages they convey to draw consumers in inevitably leads to a case of overpromising, and under delivering.   To help spread the word of CCCS of Buffalo’s local presence as a leading financial counseling agency, who has been providing financial counseling for over 50 years, we enlisted help from one of our clients, who best to tell the story of the help we are able to deliver than a member of the WNY community?! Christina struggled with crippling credit card debt until she got help from CCCS of Buffalo. She made that brave phone call, and now, just over 4 years la