It is, however, your money and AFCC will respect your request regarding the disbursement of additional funds. Again, policies regarding this vary from agency to agency and depend in large measure on what your individual situation is. Generally speaking, the first credit counseling payment is due 30 to 45 days from signing the Budget Service Agreement and starting the program. That's your decision, but we highly recommend that you pay the same amount and transfer whatever you used to pay for the paid off account to a high interest account. That way, as you pay off each account, you end up paying more to the remaining accounts, speeding up the process without changing your monthly spending budget.
Many collectors routinely violate the federal law that regulates their activity.
It is not a fresh start and will not clean up your credit report. It is a mistake that will haunt you for years to come. In most cases, bankruptcy is simply unnecessary. It is like taking a perfectly good car to the junkyard when all that is needed is the help of a good mechanic to get it back on the road and running smoothly again.