A first session with a nonprofit credit counselor is usually free, and it’s one of the few places you can lay out every bill and get a plain-language read on your options without being sold a loan.

What happens after that first call varies. Some people leave with a budget. Some enroll in a debt management plan (DMP), where the agency collects one monthly payment and pays your creditors, often at reduced interest rates the creditors agree to. Some learn that bankruptcy deserves a closer look. A good agency will walk you through all of these.

Terms and fees checked as of 2026-11-08.

How we picked

This list is based on published information and regulator records, not product testing. We started with well-known nonprofit agencies and checked:

1. NFCC membership, against the National Foundation for Credit Counseling’s member agency list. All seven appear there.
2. US Trustee approval for pre-bankruptcy credit counseling, on the Department of Justice’s approved agency list. The DOJ notes that it “has not reviewed nor approved” agencies’ other services, such as DMPs.
3. Fee disclosure: whether the agency publishes DMP set-up and monthly fees, or only says fees exist.
4. Regulator records: we found no CFPB or FTC enforcement action naming any of these seven agencies.

Several agencies also say they belong to the Financial Counseling Association of America (FCAA). FCAA doesn’t publish a public member list we could check, so we couldn’t confirm those claims. Agencies are listed alphabetically.

At a glance

What a DMP costs, in plain numbers

Say a borrower owes $12,000 on four cards and enrolls in a DMP at an agency with a $35 set-up fee and a $31 monthly fee. Over a 48-month plan, fees would come to $35 plus $1,488, or $1,523. That’s on top of repaying the full $12,000. Whether the plan saves money depends on how much the creditors cut the interest rate. (These numbers are hypothetical; your quote will differ.)

The FTC says DMPs “can take 48 months or more” and cover unsecured debt, and warns that “just because an organization is a non-profit doesn’t guarantee its services are free or affordable” (FTC). A reputable agency, the FTC adds, will give you a written quote for one-time and monthly fees. The CFPB also suggests avoiding any counselor that pushes a DMP “as your only option” (CFPB).

The agencies

American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC)

ACCC, based in Auburndale, Massachusetts, says its counseling session, “including a budget and action plan,” is free. Its DMP page lists the most specific fees on this list: a one-time $39 enrollment fee and a $7 monthly fee per account, with a minimum of $7 and a maximum of $70 a month (its average client pays $25). Fees “may be reduced or waived depending on your state’s regulations or financial hardship.” Its bankruptcy course fees are $49 pre-filing and $39 post-filing per household. ACCC also says it’s a HUD-approved housing counseling agency.

Fit factors: people who want to know the fee formula before they call. Drawbacks: with many cards, the per-account fee can reach the $70 cap.

Cambridge Credit Counseling

Cambridge Credit Counseling Corp., in Agawam, Massachusetts, describes itself as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and says counseling is free with “no obligation to enroll.” Its DMP page says fees exist and are disclosed before you enroll, but doesn’t list amounts. It also notes that DMP concessions “are set by each creditor,” not by Cambridge, and that a DMP “may adversely affect your credit.” Bankruptcy counseling costs $50 per household per session, with reduced or free sessions based on ability to pay.

Fit factors: people who want candid disclosures about what a DMP can and can’t change. Drawbacks: no published fee amounts.

Consolidated Credit

Consolidated Credit, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, says your first session is free. Its DMP page says the average client pays “about $40 a month” and that fees “are limited to $79 a month,” with waivers based on income and for military service members and their families.

Two caveats. The website is run by “Consolidated Credit Solutions, Inc. d/b/a Consolidated Credit,” while the DOJ’s approved list names “Consolidated Credit Counseling Services, Inc.,” approved for in-person counseling in the Southern District of Florida only. We couldn’t confirm how the two entities relate.

Fit factors: people who want a published monthly fee ceiling. Drawbacks: limited DOJ approval if you need pre-bankruptcy counseling.

GreenPath Financial Wellness

GreenPath, based in Farmington Hills, Michigan, says most of its services, including credit and debt counseling, are free. On its DMP page, fees “vary based on your state of residence and debt amount,” and its clients pay on average a $35 one-time enrollment fee and a $31 monthly fee. Bankruptcy counseling is $50 by phone, possibly less based on income. It also offers housing and student loan counseling.

Fit factors: people who may need housing counseling alongside debt help. Drawbacks: averages aren’t your quote, so ask for yours in writing.

InCharge Debt Solutions

InCharge, in Orlando, Florida, describes itself as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Its DMP page says the counseling session is free and takes 25 to 40 minutes, and that the monthly fee averages $34 with a one-time set-up fee averaging $52, both varying by state. Its online pre-filing bankruptcy course is $25 for individual or joint filers.

Fit factors: people who want a low-cost online bankruptcy course. Drawbacks: its average set-up fee is the highest published on this list.

Money Management International (MMI)

MMI is based in Stafford, Texas. We couldn’t confirm its current DMP or bankruptcy counseling fees on its debt management page as of 2026-11-08. An earlier version of that page described MMI as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit offering a free initial analysis, said there are “no free debt management plans,” and said fees vary by location and debt amount. MMI appears on both the NFCC list and the DOJ approved lists we checked.

Fit factors: people who want a large national agency. Drawbacks: get the fee quote in writing before you enroll.

Take Charge America

Take Charge America, in Phoenix, Arizona, says its initial counseling sessions are “confidential and free.” We couldn’t find DMP fee amounts on its site. Its bankruptcy counseling page lists $50 for pre-filing counseling and $50 for post-filing debtor education. It also offers HUD-approved housing counseling.

Fit factors: people who need both bankruptcy courses from one provider. Drawbacks: no published DMP fees.

State fee limits

DMP fees are set or capped by state law in many states, which is why agencies quote averages. Michigan is one example: disclosures quoting its Debt Management Act say a licensee may charge an initial fee of $50, and ongoing fees can’t exceed 15% of the debt paid through the plan (InCharge state disclosures). Ask any agency which rules apply where you live.

Your plan

1. Gather statements for every debt, plus your income and monthly bills.
2. Call two agencies from the table. The first session should be free.
3. Ask for a written quote of any set-up and monthly fees, and which creditors have agreed to concessions.
4. Ask what else they’d suggest. A good counselor covers budgeting, hardship programs and, where relevant, bankruptcy.
5. Compare a DMP with your other options, such as debt consolidation loans or settlement. Our guide to debt management plans explains how they affect your cards.

Agencies differ by state and by your situation, and this page isn’t advice on which one to choose; it lays out what each has published so the first call is easier.