The idea of “credit counseling” tends to evoke negative emotions and stress. After all, if you’re receiving counseling about your finances, you might think that the fewer people who know about it, the ...

Financial stress is accelerating beyond previous records, according to the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (or NFCC), which released its Q1 2026 Financial Stress forecast.

After an initial evaluation, a counselor will advise you on the best course of action to tackle your debt, whether you need general personal finance advice, bankruptcy counseling or something else.

Credit counselors reported a significant surge in demand for financial counseling services so far this year, warning that the trend signals an increase in financial distress among U.S. consumers.

Americans now owe nearly $5 trillion in non-housing debt, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, a sum that’s increased more than 60% over the past decade. As our debt has grown, so has ...

Many Americans—about half—carry credit card debt from month to month, and about 53 percent of them have been in debt for more than a year, according to a survey by Bankrate.com. Households with credit ...

No sooner had I read the latest statistics on consumer debt in the U.S. (also known as household debt, credit card and other unsecured debt) than a message washed up on my desk echoing the same matter ...

Additional features and benefits, such as extended warranties on purchases with some cards ...