Consolidated Credit Review July 2026

Consolidated Credit: Top features

Consolidated Credit's program rests on one idea: Lower the interest, keep the debt, and make it repayable. The result is a debt management plan (DMP) run by a nonprofit agency, not a loan and not a settlement.

An established nonprofit agency

Founded in 1993 and based in Fort Lauderdale, Consolidated Credit is one of the country's larger nonprofit credit counseling agencies, and it reports helping more than 10 million people. It's a member of the Financial Counseling Association of America and is a HUD-approved housing counselor.

A DMP that consolidates payments

A certified counselor reviews your budget and debts, then asks your creditors to lower or waive interest and stop late fees. You make one monthly payment to Consolidated Credit, and it pays your creditors for you. You repay everything you owe. The plan generally lowers your interest rate, not your balance.

Pay off enrolled debts in 3 to 5 years

Most people finish the plan in about three to five years, or 36 to 60 payments. Actual time to finish the program depends on your debt and budget.

Free consultation

The first counseling session is free, and counselors don't have to enroll you if a DMP isn't the right fit. Some folks may leave that call with a few do-it-yourself steps instead of a debt management plan.

Fees rolled into one payment

There's a one-time setup fee and a monthly administration fee, both folded into your monthly payment. Active-duty military members and their families typically get a fee waiver.

Key features:

• Long track record: A nonprofit credit counseling agency running since 1993, and one of the larger ones.
• Free first session: Your first debt and budget review costs nothing, and you're under no obligation to enroll.
• Lower interest, no loan: The plan could cut your credit card interest and combine your debts into one monthly payment, with no minimum credit score.
• Wide creditor network: The company lists more than 1,600 creditors it works with.
• State-set fees: Fees are set by your state and rolled into your monthly payment, and active-duty military and their families pay nothing.
• Spanish-language help: Counseling is by phone, in English or Spanish, with an online portal for current clients.

How much does Consolidated Credit cost?

Your first counseling session is free. If you enroll in the plan, you pay a one-time setup fee and a monthly administration fee. Both roll into your single monthly payment, so there's no separate bill.

Your state limits those fees, and there's no federal cap. Consolidated Credit says the average client pays about $40 a month, with a ceiling of up to $79 a month. Your actual fee depends on your state, your debt, and your budget. (Active-duty military members and their families generally pay nothing.)

How you potentially save money is through a lower interest rate on your debts. The company advertises negotiated rates averaging between 0% and 11%. Third-party sources put typical debt management plan rates closer to 7% to 10%, and your rate could differ by creditor.

Important considerations when choosing Consolidated Credit

A debt management plan fits some people well and others poorly. Three things tend to matter most before you enroll.

Your credit during the plan

When your accounts close, your utilization shoots up to 100%+. Any time you have a balance on a closed credit card account, the utilization is 100% because the credit limit for that account is zero. High utilization is bad for your credit score. Your DMP is designed to help you pay off all of your credit cards. If you succeed, your utilization could drop to zero. Low utilization has a positive effect on credit scores. You’ll want to pay on time every month during your plan, or your creditors could back out. Going forward, keep paying on time. Payment history has the biggest influence on your credit scores

Creditors will probably put a note in your credit report that the account is under outside management. This is visible to other lenders but shouldn’t impact your score.

It's full repayment, not forgiveness

A debt management plan pays back everything you owe at a lower interest rate. It suits people who can afford their payments but are buried by interest. It isn't a way to pay less than you owe. 

If full repayment isn't realistic and you’re already behind on your debts, you could consider debt settlement, which involves negotiating with creditors to accept less than you owe and forgive the rest. Or bankruptcy could be a viable option if you have a lot of unsecured debt and few assets. Weight all of your debt relief options to find the right fit.

Creditor participation and commitment

Not every creditor agrees to lower a rate. The plan is also a multi-year commitment, and leaving early can prompt creditors to restore your original rates and reapply the fees they had paused.

Consolidated Credit customer service and satisfaction

Consolidated Credit delivers its counseling by phone. Current clients manage their plan through an online member portal, where they can track accounts and send questions to the client service team.

Reviewers regularly praise helpful, patient staff and clear explanations of the program. Here's how the two platforms score it:

Critical write-ups tend to cite the same few themes: A creditor that wouldn't lower a rate, questions about payment timing, and confusion over fees. The company replies to feedback, including negative ratings.

Is Consolidated Credit legit?

Consolidated Credit is a legitimate nonprofit credit counseling agency. It has run since 1993 and is a member of the Financial Counseling Association of America, as well as a HUD-approved housing counseling agency.

A search of federal and state regulators turned up no Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), or state attorney general action against Consolidated Credit.

Where is Consolidated Credit available?

Consolidated Credit markets its services in all 50 states, Washington DC, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Actual plan availability can vary with state licensing.

How do I contact Consolidated Credit?

You have a few ways to reach Consolidated Credit, depending on whether you're a new or current client.

• New clients and counseling: Call (844) 285-9318 or email counselor@consolidatedcredit.org for a free consultation. The general line is (855) 697-6731.
• Current clients: Call client services at 1-877-201-7780, or use the member portal at members.consolidatedcreditsolutions.org.
• Mailing address: 5701 West Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33313.

Counseling is phone-based, and Spanish-language help is available. The company doesn't confirm a mobile app or live chat.

Consolidated Credit recent milestones

Consolidated Credit says on its own site that it has helped more than 10 million people find debt relief since 1993.