Disclosures
Please read these Disclosures to understand how the Credit Counseling Course works and what you need to do to receive a Certificate of Credit Counseling.
This service or services are being provided by Summit Financial Education, Inc. (Summit).
- Current contact information is available via the Contact Us link.
- Current Counselor and Help Desk hours can be found here.
Legal Advice
No part of the Credit Counseling Course, including communications with credit counselors, should be taken as legal advice. Please consult with a qualified attorney if you need advice on how the information presented here applies to your situation.
Credit Counseling Course Overview and Fees
The Credit Counseling Course is made up of two Steps, both of which must be completed to receive a Certificate of Credit Counseling:
- Step 1: FREE Self-Paced Online Session – This part is free and can be completed on your own time.
- Step 2: PAID Interactive Counseling Session with a Certified Credit Counselor – This step is an integral part of the course and is required if you need a Certificate of Credit Counseling. Payment entitles you to the Interactive Counseling Session and a Certificate of Credit Counseling, if both Steps of the course are completed as required.
Fees
- The Self-Paced Online Session is free (no certificate included).
- The fee for the Interactive Counseling Session (including the Credit Counseling Certificate) depends on how you choose to communicate with your counselor:
| Communication Method |
Fee (per household) |
| Email Interactive Counseling |
$14.95 |
| Online Chat Interactive Counseling |
$24.95 |
| Telephone Interactive Counseling |
$34.95 |
Note: If you choose to complete the entire process by phone, including data entry, there is an additional $15 fee for phone-based data entry.
The content of the counseling session is the same, regardless of the method of communication you choose.
Payment
You will be requested to pay after you have selected the communication method with the counselor, and after you have entered any coupon or attorney payment codes.
You may pay via credit/debit card, e-check (ACH), an attorney payment code, or money order. Money order payments are not immediate and are applied to your account once your money order is received by Summit.
Refunds
Requests for refunds for Fees will be honored until a Certificate of Credit Counseling has been issued. Not using a Certificate of Credit Counseling for bankruptcy purposes is not grounds for receiving a refund.
Fee Waivers
Upon evaluation of supporting documentation (see Fee Waiver Request Form), Summit will waive the fee for the Interactive Counseling Session and for obtaining a Certificate of Credit Counseling for any individual whose annual household income falls below 150 percent of the poverty guidelines as last published by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) (https://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-guidelines) for their applicable household size.
The Fee Waiver entitles the recipient to free Email Interactive Counseling Session or a discount equivalent to the current regular price of the Email Interactive Counseling Session.
The income of a spouse is included in calculating income, whether a joint petition is filed, unless the spouses are separated and a joint petition is not filed.
During registration, you will be asked about your household size and income. If you presumptively qualify for a fee waiver, you will be notified and provided with instructions before you're asked to pay for the course.
Requirement to Complete the Course
You will receive a Certificate of Credit Counseling only if you complete both Steps of the credit counseling course (Self-Paced Online Session AND Interactive Counseling Session) and your identity and participation in both Steps (for both people in a couple) have been verified.
Certificate Requirements
To receive your Certificate of Credit Counseling, you must:
- Complete both Steps of the course: Self-Paced Online Session AND Interactive Counseling Session;
- Have your identity and participation verified during the counseling session.
If you are filing jointly:
- Both spouses must participate in the full course, including the counseling session.
- Both of you must be present together for the entire course and counseling session.
Receiving Your Certificate
After you complete both steps of the course (Self-Paced Online Session AND Interactive Counseling Session) and your identity and participation have been verified, Summit is obligated to issue your Certificate of Credit Counseling promptly, unless there are technical delays beyond our control (such as the unavailability of the EOUST's Certificate Generating System).
- Certificates indicate the date and time of when the course was completed.
- Your certificate will be emailed to you at the email address you entered during registration.
- If you provide your attorney’s contact information when registering, we’ll also send a copy of your certificate directly to them.
Validity of Certificate of Credit Counseling
The Certificate of Credit Counseling is valid for bankruptcy purposes for 180 days from the date of course completion. If you file for bankruptcy after 180 days of course completion, you will need to repeat the Credit Counseling Course in its entirety to receive a new Certificate.
Counselor Compensation
Counselors receive no commissions or bonuses based on the outcome of the counseling service provided.
Counselor Qualifications
All counselors are accredited or certified by a recognized independent organization or have successfully completed a course of study acceptable to the United States Trustee and have worked a minimum of six months in a related area, including personal finance, budgeting, and debt management.
With the exceptions defined in the "Sharing Information with the United States Trustee" section below, none of your personal or financial information will ever be shared with a third party without your explicit consent.
Alternate Payment Schedule of Unsecured Debts
Through a Debt Management Program (DMP) you have the opportunity to establish an alternate payment schedule for your unsecured debts. Summit does not provide debt management programs but can direct you to a nonprofit organization that can help.
Impact on Credit Reports
No information gathered, including the results of the credit counseling session, will be disclosed to a Credit Reporting Agency. The course will discuss, among other alternatives, bankruptcy and entering into a Debt Management Plan as options for dealing with debts. Summit does not offer Debt Management Plans. Filing for bankruptcy stays on one's credit report from 7 to 10 years from date of filing. A Debt Management Plan's requirement to close credit card accounts will negatively impact one's credit score; however, making regular payments via the Debt Management Plan will have a positive effect on credit scores.
Funding Sources
Summit is funded 100% by counselee contributions.
Referral Fees
Referral fees have not or will not be paid to any person (individual or company) for referring individuals to Summit. No referral fees will be accepted for referring counselees to any third party for the purpose of resolving counselee's credit and debt problems.
Non-English Language Support
For people with limited English proficiency Summit will provide assistance in identifying an EOUST-approved provider that can assist in the appropriate language.
Service Accreditation
The United States Trustee has reviewed only Summit's credit counseling and personal financial management instructional courses. The United States Trustee has not reviewed nor approved any other services that Summit provides to debtors.
Summit might disclose debtor information to the United States Trustee in connection with the United States Trustee's oversight of Summit, or during the investigation of complaints, during on-site visits, or during quality-of-service reviews.
Services NOT Included
The following are NOT the responsibility of the Summit Financial Education and are not part of the services being provided:
Ensuring that the emailed Certificate of Credit Counseling reaches you. We have no control over whether the email address provided is correct or whether a junk mail filter blocks our email. Certificates are available directly from your online account.
Ensuring that the emailed Certificate of Credit Counseling reaches your attorney. We have no control over whether the email address provided is correct or whether a junk mail filter blocks our email. You are advised to contact your attorney to verify receipt of Certificate.
Ensuring that your Certificate of Credit Counseling is filed with the bankruptcy court on time. You are advised to contact your attorney to verify this.