Resources:
Articles and Materials
Why you should choose an accredited
agency:
With something as valuable as
your financial integrity in the
balance can you risk going to a
less than professional, accredited
agency? SPRINGBOARD® is committed
to providing exceptional service
to our clients as well as the creditors
we work with.
We are members of the National
Foundation for Credit Counseling
and are accredited by the Council
on Accreditation of Services for
Families and Children, Inc. (COA).
This guarantees that we will adhere
to high standards of service delivery,
counselor certification, fiscal
integrity, and volunteer Board
governance.
The COA does not give accreditation
to every credit counseling agency.
Only those who meet their exacting
standards are given their seal
of approval. Why would you trust
an agency that isn't willing to
have an outside source confirm
their value through accreditation?
Quality Standards:
Accreditation mandates several
service-specific "quality standards" such
as:
- Annual audits of operating
and trust accounts
- The agency meets all consumer
disclosure requirements as set
forth by the Federal Trade Commission
- Funds are disbursed daily and
funds are disbursed immediately
in emergencies
- Each consumer receives an assessment
of how he/she came to be in financial
difficulty, a comprehensive financial
plan, and a written plan of action
- Clients receive (at minimum)
a quarterly statement (SPRINGBOARD® issues
a Client Progress Report for
each month)
Service Delivery & Quality
Meeting COA's standards for service
delivery & quality means:
- Meeting the needs of cultural/ethnic
population groups in the communities
they serve
- Fair and equitable treatment
of creditors
- Minimum fee structures for
consumers
- Presentation of educational
programs
- Counselors who are NFCC-certified,
following a rigorous training
and testing program
- SPRINGBOARD® commits to
having a branch counseling network
in place for support to our clients
- Counseling by telephone and
email is available nationwide
Fiscal Integrity
Accredited agencies are required
to have full-scale audits of
their financial records by an
independent CPA. The agency will
be a real 501(c) 3 non-profit
community organization under
state and federal laws and adhere
to appropriate debt pooling restrictions.
Strict internal controls are
to be in place for handling client
money. We are not paid interest
on our trust accounts, which
contain only client money. (This
is not an accreditation standard
per se, but something SPRINGBOARD® chooses
to do.)
Volunteer Board Governance
Board members aren't owners and
are not paid by accredited agencies.
Our Board members represent the
ethnic and cultural diversity
of our communities and we have
no more than 40% representation
from credit grantors.
Consider the integrity and quality
we offer and call us at 1-877-Wise-Plan
(877.947.3752). We're the best
there is.
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