Questions about Pre Bk CC certificate

[MEA2]

I've tried to do a search on this but it's too broad a topic,I'm not finding much.
So here are my questions;

These are the 5 approved Credit Counseling agencies for my state to get the pre bk counseling certificate

https://www.ccsinc.org

https://www.cccamerica.org

https://www.greenpath.com

www.moneymanagement..org

https://www.credit.org

Does anyone have experience with one of these and how was it for you?

Also do you prefer the on line or the over the phone courses and why?

Thank you!!!

[HHM]

Honestly, if the agencies are approved for your state, it really doesn't matter which one you go to...the course is just a formality. Recent stats have shown that the course is largely a waste of time as only about 5% of those seeking the pre-BK credit counselling course can actually qualify to be diverted from BK and placed in a Credit Counseling Program.

The point of the course is to see if there is a meaningful way for you to avoid BK...but as the stats have shown, 95% of the people who take the course, can't avoid filing BK.

The last thing you should be worried about is the CC course, there are so many other things much more important about your BK than the CC course...just pick one and get it over with.

The course providers have to go through a tacitly rigorous screening process and are approved by the U.S. Trustee (which is different than the Bankruptcy Trustee) who is part of the U.S. Dept. of Justice.

[MEA2]

Honestly, if the agencies are approved for your state, it really doesn't matter which one you go to...the course is just a formality. Recent stats have shown that the course is largely a waste of time as only about 5% of those seeking the pre-BK credit counselling course can actually qualify to be diverted from BK and placed in a Credit Counseling Program.

The point of the course is to see if there is a meaningful way for you to avoid BK...but as the stats have shown, 95% of the people who take the course, can't avoid filing BK.

The last thing you should be worried about is the CC course, there are so many other things much more important about your BK than the CC course...just pick one and get it over with.

The course providers have to go through a tacitly rigorous screening process and are approved by the U.S. Trustee (which is different than the Bankruptcy Trustee) who is part of the U.S. Dept. of Justice.

When you put it that way,I don't know why we were stressing over it.Sounds like it's just a small piece of the puzzle.Thanks for the advice.BTW are the courses all about $50?

[HHM]

As for price, I think it is a set standard of $50, but I really don't know. I personally believe it should be free. Maybe someone else will have some insight (Note, Sunday is a slow time on this forum, so check back Monday evening and I am sure some other people will have replied by then).

[brainless twit]

We looked at several agencies and didn't find anything cheaper than $50.

As for online vs. by phone, I would go with the online counseling. We were going to do it over the phone, but had to go online because of technical difficulties. Thank goodness we were able to read the information ourselves instead of listening to someone else read it! (I read very fast, so it didn't take me very long.) Also, you can skim through some of the basic parts that you already know about. For instance, our first page about credit cards actually said, "Credit cards charge interest on purchases you make. Interest means..." and I thought I was going to scream. We did actually read 90% of the information, but I saw no reason to spend time reading the things we're well aware of. JMHO!

[emoney]

Hummingbird

I am in the middle of a Chapt 7 and used Hummingbird. Quick and low cost for both certificates.
Thanks,
enoney

[pv34pv3p]

This place has a pre-discharge course for $25.

http://www.inchargefoundation.org/education/elearning/1139975310.7

Didn't see a link for pre-filing though...

pv34pv3p

[yomama]

My husband and I are going to be filing for BK and have just gotten done with the pre-BK course. It only took about 1 to 1-1/2 hours of our time and we did it online. You can do it at your own pace, but we decided to just do it in one night and get it over with. We'll be getting the certificate in the mail soon and can show that to the lawyer. It's like HHM said, it's just a formality. I went into it thinking I'd have to know this and know that when it was over and that we'd be given some kind of a test. lol NOT! I would have read every single thing, but my husband kept saying, "Oh, this is just common sense stuff and would rush me through it and we just skimmed over some things." I thought, "Well, there's a way for someone to make $75 now with the new BK laws!" I actually wasn't aware that the courses vary by state, but I don't know much about all of this either. We live in PA and our lawyer mentioned Alliance to us. Their website is www.startfreshtoday.com . I thought it was a little pricey but well, now it's over with and as long as it helps us get out of the mess we're in. Oh, and they also have the debtor education course for later.

[SinkingFast]

We used CCCS of Atlanta.

We went to them before we went for our pre BK Cert for a professional opinion of our finances. CCCS said we really had no options. Seek legal representation is what they said.

Since we'd already entered all the CC's acct numbers and such, it was nothing to go back, update debt levels, pay the $50, and get our pre-BK Certs.

Post BK, we went back to CCCS. Flat $50 for both of us. But the CCCS post BK course is timed. If you do not spend at least 2 hours doing the course, you jeopardize not getting your Cert.

I think we probably got a good deal of info for the money from CCCS. Lots of tips on budgeting, saving, setting goals, and such. We printed out the Course info to refer to when needed in the future.

[ConnieS]

This place has a pre-discharge course for $25.

http://www.inchargefoundation.org/education/elearning/1139975310.7

Didn't see a link for pre-filing though...

pv34pv3p

It's $25 per person, so if you are a married couple it's still the standard $50.