Consumer Debt Counselors

What Consumer Debt Counselors does

Consumer Debt Counselors, Inc. is a Winter Park, Florida-based nonprofit 501(c)(3) financial services organization founded in 1998 by George Janas. The company delivers credit counseling, debt management plans (DMPs), bankruptcy pre-filing counseling and post-filing debtor education, HUD-approved housing counseling, student loan analysis, and medical cost counseling to low- to moderate-income American households experiencing financial distress following life events such as job loss, divorce, illness, or death of a family member. It is approved to issue EOUST bankruptcy certificates in 15 judicial districts, is HUD-certified in Florida, and is an NFCC member since 2007, with a continuously held BBB A+ rating since 1999 and ISO 9001:2015 quality certification.

The company operates a hybrid delivery model combining phone-based certified counselor consultations (the 800-820-9232 line) with online self-service platforms. Its most technology-enabled product is the Student Debt Solutions platform, which integrates directly with the Department of Education's National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) to analyze approximately 1,000 data points against 1,200 rules covering 32 federal and private loan types, producing personalized forgiveness, repayment, and consolidation recommendations. Other online offerings — Counseling in Motion (pre-filing bankruptcy), Money in Motion (post-filing debtor education), and HUD-approved homebuyer education — are 24/7 self-paced courses delivered via the consumerdebtcounselors.org site, the eHome America channel, and Eventbrite-hosted live webinars.

Revenue is generated through a mix of paid consumer fees ($30 pre-filing bankruptcy, $25 debtor education, $99 student loan action plan, $100 homebuyer course), freemium entry points, and — most importantly — grants, donations, and voluntary creditor fair-share contributions supporting debt management programs. No revenue figure is publicly disclosed. The organization has no parent company, no private equity or venture capital backing, no subsidiaries, and no disclosed M&A activity. Its growth model is organic, anchored in regulatory accreditation expansion, selective product-line extension (notably into medical cost counseling), and digital channel buildout rather than acquisitive scaling.

Name

Consumer Debt Counselors

Legal name

Consumer Debt Counselors, Inc.

Website

https://consumerdebtcounselors.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Consumer Debt Counselors is a Winter Park, Florida-based nonprofit 501(c)(3) founded in 1998 that delivers credit counseling, debt management plans, bankruptcy education, HUD-approved housing counseling, and student loan analysis to low- to moderate-income American consumers, primarily funded by grants and creditor contributions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Consumer Credit Counseling

NAICS

Consumer Lending (522291)

SIC

Services-Consumer Credit Reporting, Collection Agencies (7320)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYFSAEAFAA

Consumer Credit Counseling & Budgeting

Financial & Insurance/Financial Advisory, Brokerage & Intermediation/Credit & Debt Advisory (Restructuring, Counseling & Settlement)

SECONDARYFSAKAJAH

Credit Counseling & Debt Management Plans (DMP)

Financial & Insurance/Lending & Consumer Finance/Debt Collection, Recovery & Servicing

SECONDARYFSAEAFAG

Bankruptcy Counseling & Pre-Filing Education

Financial & Insurance/Financial Advisory, Brokerage & Intermediation/Credit & Debt Advisory (Restructuring, Counseling & Settlement)

SECONDARYFSAKAKAJ

Credit Education, Monitoring & Consumer Credit Management Tools

Financial & Insurance/Lending & Consumer Finance/Credit Reporting, Scoring & Underwriting (Consumer)

Keywords

• Credit counseling services
• Debt management plans
• Bankruptcy counseling education
• HUD housing counseling
• Student loan counseling

Headquarters

HQ city

Winter Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Grants and Donations: Primary funding source from grants and voluntary contributions from governmental agencies and financial institutions that participate in debt management programs. Most counseling services are funded through these grants and donations.
2. Bankruptcy Education Fees: Pre-filing bankruptcy counseling course ($30) and post-filing debtor education course ($25). Fees waived for households at or below 150% of federal poverty guidelines; 50% reduction for households between 150-175% of poverty guidelines.
3. Student Loan Analysis: Free initial analysis to view potential savings; one-time $99 fee to access full step-by-step action plan and tools to implement student loan relief strategies.
4. Housing Education Courses: HUD-approved first-time homebuyer education courses available online for $100 (English and Spanish) or free via scheduled live webinars.
5. Debt Management Program Contributions: Voluntary contributions from creditors participating in DMP programs. Consumer Debt Counselors does not receive referral fees except under fair share agreements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Consumer Debt Counselors is a nonprofit financial services organization that provides credit counseling, debt management plans, student loan analysis, HUD-approved housing counseling, pre-filing bankruptcy counseling, post-filing debtor education, and medical cost counseling to individual consumers. Services are delivered via certified counselors (phone/in-person) and online self-service platforms, including an AI-powered Student Debt Solutions tool.

Product overview

Consumer Debt Counselors is a nonprofit financial services organization offering a comprehensive suite of financial counseling and education services. The portfolio includes core offerings: Debt Relief Services (credit counseling, Debt Management Plans, debt settlement), Student Debt Solutions (online student loan analysis tool), Housing Counseling (HUD-approved services including homebuyer education and foreclosure prevention), Pre-Filing Bankruptcy Counseling and Post-Filing Debtor Education courses (Counseling in Motion and Money in Motion), and Medical Cost Counseling for chronic illness families. Services are delivered through both human counselors and online platforms, with the Student Debt Solutions online tool being the primary technology-enabled product that analyzes user data against rules to generate personalized recommendations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Debt Relief Services

Quantifiable outcome

• $331 average monthly payment savings found for student loan borrowers
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Consumer Debt Counselors is a HUD-certified counseling agency since 2012, meeting HUD's strict requirements to provide housing counseling services in Florida. The partnership enables the organization to offer HUD-approved housing counseling including pre-purchase counseling, mortgage modification, and foreclosure education. Counselors are trained and certified by HUD's Office of Housing Counseling.
• National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Consumer Debt Counselors became an approved member of NFCC in 2007. NFCC is the nation's largest umbrella association for financial counseling organizations, comprising over 700 community-based offices in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. The organization must maintain accreditation through the Council on Accreditation to qualify for NFCC membership. All Consumer Debt Counselors counselors are trained and certified by NFCC.
• U.S. Department of Justice - Executive Office for United States Trustees (EOUST)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005EOUST, a division of DOJ, has approved Consumer Debt Counselors since 2005 to issue certificates in compliance with the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. The organization is approved for judicial districts in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming. EOUST provides oversight through on-site visits and quality of service reviews.
• Better Business Bureau (BBB)coreOthersConsumer Debt Counselors maintains A+ accreditation with BBB since 1999, demonstrating commitment to ethical business practices and consumer protection in Central Florida.
• eHome AmericaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConsumer Debt Counselors offers its HUD-approved first-time homebuyer education class through the eHome America platform as an alternative to live webinars, providing online self-service access for $100 in English and Spanish.
• EventbriteminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConsumer Debt Counselors hosts HUD-certified housing counseling events including first-time homebuyer seminars on Eventbrite's platform, enabling consumers to discover and register for free educational events.
• National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS)coreTechnology or IntegrationConsumer Debt Counselors' Student Debt Solutions platform integrates with the official NSLDS (studentaid.gov) to provide comprehensive analysis of federal student loans. The integration enables access to over 60 data points per loan and official loan records as reported by the Department of Education.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• InCharge Debt Solutions: InCharge is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) credit counseling agency providing DMPs, housing counseling, bankruptcy counseling, and student loan services. NFCC-affiliated and HUD-certified. Directly comparable on mission, service offerings, and target demographic.
• Navicore Solutions: Navicore is a nonprofit HUD-approved housing counseling and credit counseling agency offering DMPs, foreclosure prevention, financial education, and student loan counseling. Directly comparable on nonprofit, HUD-certified, community-based counseling model.
• Money Management International: MMI is one of the largest nonprofit credit counseling agencies in the U.S., providing DMPs, housing counseling, bankruptcy education, and student loan counseling. Apprisen merged into MMI, expanding its national footprint. Directly comparable on service breadth and regulatory credentials.
• Money Fit by DRS: Money Fit by Debt Reduction Services is a nonprofit credit counseling agency providing DMPs, housing counseling, bankruptcy education, and student loan counseling. Directly comparable on full-service nonprofit model.
• Cambridge Credit Counseling Corp. Cambridge is a nonprofit credit counseling agency offering DMPs, student loan counseling, and housing counseling. Directly comparable on consumer debt counseling service model and target market.
• Take Charge America: Take Charge America is a nonprofit credit counseling agency providing DMPs, housing counseling, bankruptcy education, and student loan counseling. NFCC-affiliated and HUD-approved. Directly comparable on service portfolio and nonprofit structure.
• GreenPath Financial Wellness: GreenPath is a nonprofit HUD-certified credit counseling agency offering DMPs, housing counseling, bankruptcy counseling, and student loan counseling nationwide. Directly comparable on service mix, regulatory certifications, and target demographic of low- to moderate-income consumers.
• Clearpoint Credit Counseling Solutions: Clearpoint is a HUD-approved, NFCC-affiliated nonprofit credit counseling agency offering DMPs, housing counseling, student loan counseling, and bankruptcy pre-filing/post-filing education. Directly comparable on full-service nonprofit counseling model and regulatory accreditations.

Others

• National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC): NFCC is the largest umbrella association for nonprofit credit counseling agencies with 700+ member offices. Not a direct competitor but a member association and industry standards body that Consumer Debt Counselors belongs to.

Emerging players

• Summer: Summer is a fintech startup that helps student loan borrowers optimize repayment, find forgiveness programs, and refinance. Comparable on student loan analysis/recommendation functionality, but operates as a venture-backed for-profit rather than a nonprofit counseling agency.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/NonprofitCreditCounseling
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/consumerdebtcounselors

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Consumer Debt Counselors