Credit Counseling of Arkansas

What Credit Counseling of Arkansas does

Credit Counseling of Arkansas (CCOA), Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit credit counseling agency founded in 1995 and headquartered in Fayetteville, Arkansas, with additional offices in Bentonville and Fort Smith. The organization provides free and low-cost one-on-one financial counseling to individuals and families across Arkansas, Alabama, Alaska, Missouri, Montana, South Dakota, Wyoming, and the District of Columbia, with services delivered in English, Spanish, and Marshallese via in-person, phone, and online channels.

The product portfolio spans three integrated service lines. Money Management includes the Debt Management Program (a multi-creditor consolidation program with a $40 setup fee plus tiered monthly fees of $15-$45, designed to resolve unsecured debt typically within 3-5 years), free Budget Counseling, Credit Report Review ($30 individual / $40 joint, using Experian data), and Pre-Filing Bankruptcy Counseling plus Pre-Discharge Education ($50/$60, fee-waiver eligible). Housing Counseling covers HUD-approved Pre-Purchase, Mortgage Delinquency, and Reverse Mortgage Counseling, with Home Buyer Education delivered through a Core partnership with EHome America. Education is supported by Financial Education Classes, a Financial Health Quiz, downloadable Financial Tips handouts, a Video Library, a Financial Resource Center anchored to the CFPB 'Your Money, Your Goals' toolkit, and a quarterly Dollars & Sense newsletter. Technology is web-based: a client portal, a web payment system, and integrations with EHome America and Money In Motion for HUD- and EOUST-compliant online coursework. There is no proprietary platform layer or AI/ML capability.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit revenue stack: client fees from paid services (DMP setup and monthly, credit report review, bankruptcy counseling, home buyer education), creditor fair share contributions of up to 15% of DMP disbursements from major banks (Bank of America, Chase, Citi, Wells Fargo, Capital One, Arvest), and grants and donations from United Way, the Walton Family Foundation, federal housing counseling grants, and private donations. Free services and fee waivers (including for households at or below 150% of federal poverty guidelines) reflect the mission-driven pricing structure. The organization is BBB A+ rated, NFCC member, COA accredited, HUD-approved, and EOUST-approved.

Name

Credit Counseling of Arkansas

Legal name

Credit Counseling of Arkansas (CCOA), Inc.

Website

https://ccoacares.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Non-profit 501(c)(3) credit counseling agency founded in 1995, delivering free and low-cost budget counseling, debt management programs, HUD-approved housing counseling, and bankruptcy education to individuals and families across eight U.S. states from three Arkansas offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Consumer Financial Counseling

SIC

Services-Consumer Credit Reporting, Collection Agencies (7320)

akta.pro primary industry

Consumer Credit Counseling & Budgeting (FSAEAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bankruptcy Counseling & Pre-Filing Education (FSAEAFAG), Credit Counseling & Debt Management Plans (DMP) (FSAKAJAH), Reverse Mortgage Counseling & Consumer Education (HUD-Approved) (FSALAIAG), Credit Education, Monitoring & Consumer Credit Management Tools (FSAKAKAJ)

Keywords

• Credit counseling services
• Debt management programs
• Housing counseling services
• Financial education programs
• Bankruptcy counseling services

Headquarters

HQ city

Fayetteville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Client Fees: Fees charged for specific services including Debt Management Program ($40 startup + $15-$45 monthly), Credit Report Review ($30-$40), Bankruptcy counseling ($50), and Pre-discharge education ($50-$60). Many services are provided free based on ability to pay.
2. Creditor Fair Share Contributions: Funding from creditors who participate in Debt Management Programs and provide voluntary contributions calculated as a percentage of DMP payments, typically up to 15% of each payment received.
3. Grants and Donations: Funding from United Way, Walton Family Foundation, federal grants for mortgage delinquency counseling, and private foundation grants. Also accepts charitable donations from community.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Credit Counseling of Arkansas is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides one-on-one credit counseling, debt management program enrollment, HUD-approved housing counseling, pre-filing bankruptcy counseling, pre-discharge bankruptcy education, credit report reviews, and financial education to individuals and families. Services are delivered free or at low cost via in-person sessions at three Arkansas offices, by phone, and online in English, Spanish, and Marshallese.

Product overview

Credit Counseling of Arkansas (CCOA) is a non-profit financial counseling organization offering a portfolio of interconnected services. The core offerings include a Debt Management Program (DMP) that consolidates unsecured debt with creditor negotiations, paired with free Budget Counseling and Credit Report Review services. Housing counseling services include Pre-Purchase Counseling, Mortgage Delinquency Counseling, and Reverse Mortgage Counseling (all HUD-approved). Bankruptcy services encompass Pre-Filing Bankruptcy Counseling and Pre-Discharge Education (through the Money In Motion platform). Educational offerings include Financial Education Classes, a Financial Health Quiz, Video Library, downloadable Financial Tips/Handouts, and a Financial Resource Center with CFPB tools. The EHome America platform delivers Home Buyer Education courses. All services are available in English and Spanish, with some offerings in Marshallese. The organization operates from three Arkansas locations (Fayetteville, Bentonville, Fort Smith) and serves clients across multiple states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Debt Management Program (DMP)

Quantifiable outcome

• 93% of clients report better control of finances
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EHome AmericacoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline home buyer education platform partner. CCOA provides the required HUD-certified housing counselor follow-up for clients completing the EHome America online course. Registration fee $99 with CCOA49 discount code available.
• Money In Motion / American Center for Credit EducationcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvider of Pre-Discharge Education materials for bankruptcy education. CCOA uses their materials for online bankruptcy education courses meeting HUD requirements.
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFPB provides financial education resources and toolkits (Your Money, Your Goals) that CCOA links to and uses in their education programs.
• Arkansas Development Finance Authority (ADFA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency whose home buyer and down payment assistance programs CCOA directs clients to. Sets income guidelines for assistance programs.
• National Council on Aging (NCOA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization whose reverse mortgage resources and publications CCOA references and recommends to clients considering reverse mortgages.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• GreenPath Financial Wellness: One of the largest nonprofit credit counseling agencies in the U.S., providing DMP, housing counseling, bankruptcy counseling, and financial education across all 50 states — directly comparable in mission, service mix, and nonprofit structure.
• Money Management International: Major nonprofit credit counseling agency providing debt management, housing counseling, bankruptcy education, and financial education with multi-state reach — directly comparable core product mix and HUD-approved status.
• Clearpoint Credit Counseling Solutions: Nonprofit HUD-approved counseling agency offering DMP, student loan counseling, housing counseling, and bankruptcy services — direct peer in the consumer credit counseling category with overlapping product breadth.
• Consolidated Credit Counseling: Nonprofit credit counseling agency providing DMP, financial education, and housing counseling — direct peer with overlapping product mix and consumer audience, multi-state service area.
• InCharge Debt Solutions: Nonprofit NFCC-affiliated credit counseling agency offering debt management, housing counseling, and financial education — comparable in mission, services, and nonprofit 501(c)(3) structure to CCOA.
• Take Charge America: Nonprofit credit counseling organization delivering DMP, housing counseling, bankruptcy counseling, and financial education — direct peer across the full service stack and HUD-certified portfolio.
• Money Fit by Apprisen: Nonprofit HUD-approved housing counseling agency offering credit counseling, DMP, and financial education — comparable in service scope, target clientele, and geographic concentration in non-coastal states.
• American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC): Nonprofit credit counseling agency offering debt management, bankruptcy pre-filing counseling, and financial education; long-standing NFCC member — directly comparable offering and structure.

Others

• National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC): Industry association that sets quality standards for member credit counseling agencies including CCOA itself — adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor, but shapes certification and reputation dynamics.

Emerging players

• DebtWave Credit Counseling: Smaller-scale nonprofit credit counseling agency offering DMP, bankruptcy counseling, and financial education — emerging peer with overlapping service scope but smaller geographic footprint and client volume.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ccoa_cares
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CCOAcares
• Facebookfacebook.com/CCOAcares
• Instagraminstagram.com/ccoa_cares
• TikToktiktok.com/@ccoacares
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ccoa

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 Credit Counseling of Arkansas