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There are 5 questions you should ask your counseling agency:

1. Is your agency accredited?

   SPRINGBOARD® is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Services for Families and Children, Inc. (COA). Accreditation ensures specific quality standards such as:

   • Voluntary board governance (the board cannot be made up of the CEO's family members or friends)
   • Fiscal integrity
   • Nominal fee structures
   • Counselor certification
   • Community representation - both ethnically and culturally

   The COA is an independent, international non-profit organization that reviews thousands of social service and healthcare programs, accrediting only those that meet their precise standards as listed above.

   Accreditation means integrity, quality service and reliability.

2. What fees does your agency charge?

   All counseling is confidential! As a non-profit agency we are able to maintain the fees for some fee-based services and the use of our Debt Management Program (DMP) involves a nominal enrollment fee. If you and your counselor determine that a DMP is the best solution for you, there is an enrollment fee and a small monthly plan administration fee of 6.5% of the monthly payment.

3. Does your agency have any local branches I can go to for help?

   We currently have more than 15 counseling locations throughout Southern California and we're still growing! These locations provide counseling face-to-face and counseling by phone. We also offer nationwide counseling by phone and counseling via email.

4. Does your agency provide any local education programs or support for me while I'm on a Debt Management Plan?

   Many counseling agencies do not provide any resources to educate or support you while you repay your debts. We are dedicated to providing you with the resources you need. These resources vary from educational seminars to the Credit When Credit Is Due program and other written materials you can request from our Education Department.

5. Will your debt repayment program handle all of my debts?

   Often a non-accredited agency will only work with debts to creditors who will contribute to them. Debts owed to creditors that don't financially support an agency (such as the state and federal government for state and federal tax debts, student loans, and collection agency accounts) - are put back in your lap to handle on your own. Watch out for agencies that "cherry pick" like this - your best interests are not what's on their mind. We work with all creditors for those debts that can be placed onto a Debt Management Plan (including housing issues, judgements, and liens), whether they contribute to SPRINGBOARD® or not. (Sometimes you may be asked to handle a small balance on your own for purely administrative reasons.)