800-769-3571 Client Login Contact Search Debt Programs Resources & Tools Blog About Us Get Help Now About Us Home / About Us / 2021 News & Press Releases News & Press Releases Previous Years: 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 American Consumer Credit Counseling Celebrates 30 Years in Business Boston, MA – November 16, 2021 American Consumer Credit Counseling, Inc (ACCC) today announced that 2021 marks the 30-year anniversary of the national nonprofit helping consumers regain control of their finances and plan for a debt-free future. ACCC has helped over a million American consumers since ... Read More » Read More We’ve been helping Americans for 30 years prepare for a worst-case financial storm. It finally came. Boston, MA – November 11, 2021 Today American Consumer Credit Counseling, Inc (ACCC) announced the public release of a white paper, Tracking Financial Health of American Households, that delivers comprehensive findings from more than a year’s worth of quarterly surveys that polled Americans during one of ... Read More » Read More How to Negotiate Your Medical Bills and Debt With Your Hospital November 9, 2021 – By Melanie Evans & Anna Wilde Matthews American households commonly struggle with medical bills, federal and consumer surveys show, often leading to lingering debt. Unpaid bills can drag down credit scores and prompt some people to delay care to avoid more debt. Managing the bills can be ... Read More » Read More Credit Card Debt Can Be Bad for Your Health, Study Finds October 30, 2021 – By Ann Carrns Carrying credit card debt isn’t just bad for your budget. It may also affect your health. The stress of carrying card debt through adulthood is linked to poor health, including joint pain or stiffness that interferes with daily activities, a ... Read More » Read More Improving Your Credit Score Takes Time. Here Are 7 Ways to Get Started October 28, 2021 – By Kat Tretina There’s one little, three-digit number that has a big impact on whether you can buy a new car, house, or even a new cellphone: your credit score. Your credit score can even affect how much you pay, since lenders use your credit ... Read More » Read More Consumers’ Debt Appears to Increase as Credit Purchases Grow Boston, MA – October 21, 2021 Household debt is becoming more of an issue for some consumers, as the percentage of respondents rating debt-to-income ratio ‘very unhealthy’ doubled from 8 percent to 16 percent, new data from the American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) Q3 2021 Financial ... Read More » Read More 10 Mistakes That Deplete Your Wealth October 19, 2021 – By Cynthia Measom Proper planning is crucial when it comes to your finances — not only for the decisions that can affect your wealth now but also for those that will influence your bottom line long term. But knowing how to make the ... Read More » Read More I Was in a Coma and Couldn’t Pay My Credit Card Bills October 8, 2021 – By Funto Omojola There you are, living your best life, when a sudden sharp abdominal pain hits. It sends you to the emergency room. Before you know it, what should be a routine procedure turns into a medical fluke, and your stay in ... Read More » Read More When Should You Ask For a Credit Card Spending Limit Increase? October 6, 2021 – By Laura Woods When you first opened your credit card account, the spending limit seemed reasonable, but it’s no longer cutting it. You’ve been thinking about asking the credit card company to raise your limit, but you’re not sure if doing so is ... Read More » Read More Medical debt is different, so avoid this common savings strategy October 3, 2021 – By Noel Fletcher If health care bills are piling up and your finances are tightly stretched, you’ll want to explore every avenue you have to regain control over your budget. Refinancing and consolidation are popular remedies for other kinds of debt, like the ... Read More » Read More Secured debt vs. unsecured debt: What you need to know September 24, 2021 – By Rebecca Lake Borrowing money – whether it’s using a credit card or taking out a personal loan – means creating debt that you have to repay, usually with interest. But whether its an unsecured debt or secured debt can affect how you decide ... Read More » Read More Help! My Close Friend Is Asking for Money, What Do I Do? September 21, 2021 – By Sophia Surrett Having one of your friends or family members borrow your favorite striped blazer is usually not a big deal — as long as no red wine mishaps are involved. But what about when it comes to a bigger borrowing ask ... Read More » Read More American Consumer Credit Counseling Hosts September Financial Education Webinars Boston, MA – September 9, 2021 National nonprofit American Consumer Credit Counseling, Inc (ACCC) announced today it is hosting two free webinars during the month of September hosted by Peter Mullen, Community Educator at ACCC. The webinar on ‘Paying Off Student Debt’ will be held on ... Read More » Read More Walking Away from Debt vs. Filing Bankruptcy September 7, 2021 – By Zina Kumok Walking away from your debt, also known as defaulting, could seem like your best option if you’re struggling to keep up with bills. However, walking away from debt won’t solve all of your problems; the lender can still try to ... Read More » Read More Why and How to Build Savings Boston, MA – August 30, 2021 The pandemic reinforced the importance of saving and building an emergency fund. An unexpected crisis, like the COVID-19 pandemic, can place an entire household’s financial health at risk. National nonprofit American Consumer Credit Counseling, Inc (ACCC) says consumers should learn ... Read More » Read More If You Can’t Qualify for a Credit Card on Your Own, Here’s How a Friend or Family Member Can Help August 27, 2021 – By Elizabeth Rivelli The old adage “teamwork makes the dream work” can also apply to building credit. If you’re finding it difficult to open a credit card without a solid credit history, a co-signer or authorized user account can help. Applying for a ... Read More » Read More ACCC Says Filing Bankruptcy is Not Always the Only Option Boston, MA – August 12, 2021 Over nine in ten Americans carry some debt, such as a credit card balance, a car loan, or a mortgage. Debt can begin to spiral out of control before consumers even realize it and, in some cases, before they know ... Read More » Read More How Nonprofit Debt Consolidation Works August 11, 2021 – By Susan Ladika If you’re trying to pay off credit card debt but struggling to do it on your own, you might want to consider nonprofit debt consolidation. Nonprofit debt relief companies work with your credit card issuers to lower interest rates on ... Read More » Read More American Consumer Credit Counseling Hosts August Financial Education Webinars Boston, MA – August 4, 2021 National nonprofit American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) announced today it is hosting two free webinars during the month of August hosted by Peter Mullen, Community Educator at ACCC. The webinar on ‘Advance Child Tax Credit’ will be held on Tuesday, ... Read More » Read More Consumer Confidence Appears to Increase Among Other Signs of Normalcy After Financially Turbulent Year Boston, MA – July 29, 2021 Buying on credit is making a comeback as U.S. consumers are feeling more confident in their financial position and the overall economy, new data from the American Consumer Credit Counseling Q2 2021 Financial Health Index suggests. Over the last 16 ... Read More » Read More Pros and Cons of Debt Consolidation July 14, 2021 – By Jerry Brown American consumer debt — including mortgages, car loans, credit cards and student loans — reached $14.64 trillion in the first quarter of 2021, according to the New York Federal Reserve. Some Americans are unable to manage the thousands of dollars of ... Read More » Read More Brace Your Finances for the ‘New’ Normalcy Boston, MA – July 6, 2021 The excitement of moving into post-pandemic life – and resuming leisure activities like vacation travel, dining out, and live entertainment – could put consumers at risk of overspending and quickly digging a financial hole. The national nonprofit American Consumer Credit ... Read More » Read More Does Settling Credit Card Debt Affect Your Credit Score? June 18, 2021 – By Casey Bond Does settling a debt hurt your credit? That’s probably the No. 1 question on your mind if you’re considering a debt settlement. If you’re in over your head, settling credit card debt is one way to break free of the ... Read More » Read More First-Time Homebuyers Heavily Impacted By COVID-19 Boston, MA – June 10, 2021 Buying a home can be a complicated and intimidating process, especially during a pandemic. At the start of the COVID-19 public health crisis, U.S. housing sales took a hit due to the uncertainty consumers had in the economy. Flashforward a ... Read More » Read More American Consumer Credit Counseling Hosts June Financial Education Webinars Boston, MA – June 9, 2021 National nonprofit American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) announced today it is hosting two free webinars during the month of June hosted by Peter Mullen, Community Educator at ACCC. The webinar on ‘The Homebuying Process’ will be held on Wednesday, June ... Read More » Read More Brace Yourself for the First Fall Tuition Bill Boston, MA – May 13, 2021 Families of first-year college students should brace themselves for the big numbers in fall-semester tuition bills, and take action early to be prepared with all options for financial aid and student loans. American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) is advising clients ... Read More » Read More RTN Federal Credit Union, GoodWorks Foundation offer youth financial education Waltham, MA – May 7, 2021 RTN Federal Credit Union and RTN GoodWorks Foundation co-sponsored a virtual “A Beginner’s Guide to Building Wealth” financial education seminar on April 29, presented by partner American Consumer Credit Counseling, Inc. Seventeen people attended the seminar, which introduced financial concepts. ... Read More » Read More Financial Goals Shifted for Americans After COVID-19 Boston, MA – April 15, 2021 The pandemic of 2020 forced many Americans to shift their financial goals into survival mode, according to a new poll by American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC). But there are new signs of optimism about employment and household finances as the ... Read More » Read More American Consumer Credit Counseling Hosts Webinar on A Parent’s Guide: Teaching Kids Financial Literacy Boston, MA – April 1, 2021 National nonprofit American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) announced today it is hosting a free financial education webinar titled ‘A Parent’s Guide: Teaching Kids Financial Literacy’ on Tuesday, April 13 from 12:00 to 1:00pm. Hosted by Community Educator Peter Mullen of ... Read More » Read More Can You Get Approved for a Credit Card When You’re Unemployed? March 30, 2021 – By Erica Sandberg IF YOU ARE UNEMPLOYED, you may be wondering, “Can I get a credit card with no job?” Yes, it is certainly possible. Without a steady paycheck, though, creditors will expect that you have substantial assets or resources to repay the debt, ... Read More » Read More American Consumer Credit Counseling Remembers Our Co-Founder Steve Trumble: 1952-2021 Boston, MA – March 17, 2021 American Consumer Credit Counseling today announced a leadership restructuring and series of appointments following the recent death of the ‘company’s co-founder – Steven “Steve” Trumble. Mr. Trumble, 67, passed away March 1, 2021. He co-founded American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) ... Read More » Read More American Consumer Credit Counseling Hosts Webinar on Preventing Identity Theft and Fraud Boston, MA – March 11, 2021 National nonprofit American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) announced today it is hosting its third free financial education webinar on ‘Preventing Identity Theft and Fraud on Wednesday, March 24 from 3:00 to 4:00pm EST. Hosted by Community Educator Peter Mullen of ... Read More » Read More Best Student Loans for Bad Credit March 5, 2021 – By Coryanne Hicks Your credit history doesn’t need to be a barrier between you and your education: Even borrowers with bad credit or no credit can find student loans. You may not even need a co-signer, although the backing of someone with good ... Read More » Read More 44% of student debtors haven’t made any payments since March 2020: Poll February 26, 2021 – By Jessica Smith and Aarthi Swaminathan The federal payment pause on student loans has given some debtors breathing room. But a new survey shows how borrowers have taken advantage of the pause to target their loans. In January, the Biden administration extended the interest-free payment pause on federal student loans ... Read More » Read More ACCC: Borrowers need to prepare now for the end of student loan forbearance; What to expect and how to be ready Boston, MA – February 25, 2021 American Consumer Credit Counseling announced today it is advising clients and other consumers to be prepared for the end of student loan forbearance – which was extended through September 30 by an executive order from President Biden. The extension gives ... Read More » Read More American Consumer Credit Counseling Hosts 2nd Community Virtual Financial Education Webinar Boston, MA – February 18, 2021 National nonprofit American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) announced today it is hosting its second free financial education webinar on ‘Understanding and Managing Credit’ on Thursday, March 4 from 11:00am to 12:00pm ET. Hosted by Community Educator Peter Mullen of American ... Read More » Read More How to Stop Student Loan Wage Garnishment February 8, 2021 – By Reyna Gobel Federal student loan wage garnishment occurs when your employer deducts a portion of your pay to repay your student loan after it defaults. Know that as part of federal Covid-19 relief programs, all federal student loan wage garnishments have stopped until at least ... Read More » Read More American Consumer Credit Counseling Kicks Off Community Virtual Financial Education Webinars Boston, MA – February 1, 2021 National nonprofit American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) announced today that it is implementing free community virtual online programming and financial education webinars to meet the challenges that COVID-19 has brought, such as the inability to reach consumers in-person. As communities ... Read More » Read More Many Americans Report Being Worse Off Today Than They Were at the End of 2019 Boston, MA – January 21, 2021 According to a recent poll by American Consumer Credit Counseling, Americans ended the harrowing year that was 2020 on a real financial downer – with a large percentage saying they were worse off in December 2020 than at the end ... Read More » Read More Missed A Student Loan Payment? Here’s What Could Happen January 4, 2021 – By Reyna Gobel Federal and private student loans have more options for skipping payments when you experience a financial hardship than most other types of loans. However, you can still face penalties, such as a damaged credit score, if you don’t let your ... Read More » Read More OVERVIEW REVIEWS PARTNERSHIPS FAQS LEADERSHIP NEWS & PRESS RELEASES CAREERS STATE LICENSING LOCATIONS American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) is a nonprofit credit counseling agency offering services such as debt advice, debt consolidation programs, and consumer bankruptcy counseling. We have provided thousands of families with financial counseling and helped them with consolidating bills and paying off credit cards. For consumers in need of bankruptcy counseling, ACCC is approved by the Department of Justice to provide both pre bankruptcy credit counseling and post-bankruptcy debtor education. Debt Programs Credit Counseling Debt Management Bankruptcy Counseling Housing Services Student Loan Counseling Debt Settlement Debt Consolidation ACCC Careers Privacy Policy Accessibility Statement State Licenses & Disclosures Feedback Contact Follow Us