What You Need to Know About Working with Credit Associates: If you decide to pursue debt settlement as the solution to your unsecured debts, you want it to stick. Succeeding with the debt relief process starts with knowing what you’re getting yourself into ahead of time. When you know what to expect, you can prepare — like when it comes to choosing the most fitting program based on your current financial situation.
What You Need to Know About Working with Credit Associates
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An example of a debt relief program is the one offered by Credit Associates, a company operating in this industry since 2007. Keep reading to learn more about how to vet a debt settlement company, like Credit Associates, so you can choose a legitimate partner if you do decide to enroll.
Credit Associates Debt Settlement: Essential Stats at a Glance
The first step toward deciding upon a debt relief program is figuring out whether you’re even eligible for its services. These quick stats at a glance will help you start to determine whether Credit Associates may or may not be a good fit for you based on your current situation.
Minimum debt level: Not explicitly disclosed (but expected to start around $7,500).
Average length of program: Two to three years.
Customer service: Monday – Saturday via phone.
Type of debts eligible: Unsecured debt (credit cards, medical bills, certain business debts, etc.)
It’s also important to “shop around” by comparing the services of many companies before committing to just one. Only this way can you see what offers are available, comparing the stats head-to-head before signing up for any particular program.
What American Fair Credit Council Membership Means
One of the first questions you’ll have about a company you’re considering is whether or not their business practices are trustworthy. In this case, you’ll undoubtedly be wondering: Is Credit Associates reputable?
As Bills.com notes, this company does indeed hold accreditation by the American Fair Credit Council (AFCC). Choosing one of the debt relief companies that are AFCC accredited members ensures you’ll be working with a company that meets certain standards of conduct.
The AFCC code of conduct requires member organizations to:
- Abide by federal and state laws pertaining to debt relief, like those outlined by the Federal Trade Commission prohibiting the collection of advance fees before a result is achieved.
- Communicate truthfully and transparently with current clients and potential clients.
- Conduct business in good faith.
- Advocate for consumers.
- Portray services, including all the possible outcomes, transparently and honestly
- Be honest about possible risks associated with the debt settlement process.
- Outline what fees consumers can expect to pay for such services and when they can expect to pay them.
- Protect clients’ personal and financial information.
In this sense, it’s a promising sign whenever a company is an AFCC member, as it means they are upholding the code of conduct outlined above — which is ultimately meant to protect consumers against scams and misinformation.
Another way to get a better feel for how a debt settlement company really operates is to look up ratings and reviews left by its customers on third-party platforms. A sign of legitimacy is a healthy proportion of positive reviews with some honest neutral or negative reviews on display as well — as this tends to show a company isn’t somehow deleting less-than-perfect reviews. Use these reviews as a way to identify potential challenges and sticking points you may face if you choose to work with this company and be sure to address any concerns in your initial consultation.
What you need to know about working with Credit Associates or any other debt relief company are its requirements, risks, ratings, and accreditations.
