How To Become A Certified Credit Counselor

Certified credit counselors are an important part of helping consumers and businesses tackle debt related situations and get them under control. This type of job can be difficult as it is equal parts counseling where individuals may have emotional issues tied to their debt and number crunching which requires analytical skills and the ability to problem solve. If you have what it takes to become a certified credit counselor then the rewards can be both personal and financial as the more experience and certifications you have the more money you can make and a bigger difference you can have on people's lives.

In or determine whether or not you want to start a career and assume the responsibilities of a certified credit counselor it is important to see the big picture first. Most consumer credit counselors work for financial institutions such as banks and credit unions as well as nonprofit credit counseling services. The fundamentals of the job include negotiation of repayment plans, debt consolidation and budgeting using limited financial resources. More than that however, most credit counselors do more than what is required and offer stressed and exhausted consumers battling debt hope and comfort that there is a solution and that they will work together to make it happen.

As with any industry, the more education and experience you have the more likely you are to obtain a position at higher-end institutions with more responsibilities and greater financial compensation. While some positions for certified credit counselors require no more than a high school education more often than not you will be competing with college graduates and individuals with Masters degrees for similar positions. Also, credit counselors have the ability to specialize or become generalists so individuals with a teaching background may wish to focus more on counseling while those with a Masters in finance might be better suited to negotiating high-end deals with credit issuing organizations.

Education isn't the only determining factor of whether or not you can get a credit counseling position as certifications also play a role in finding employment and advancing quickly. Earning certifications often entails taking online classes, using independent study modules and paying for certification exams out-of-pocket. There are also different types of certifications available such as a generalist like a Certified Credit Counselor or more specialized training like Certified Debt Counseling Manager. Some of the associations where you can find more information on becoming a certified credit counselor can be done online from multiple institutions. Some of these institutions include the

Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education (AFCPE), the Center for Financial Certifications, National Association of Certified Credit Counselors (NACCC), National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC), National Institute for Financial Education of America (NIFE) and the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies (AICCCA).

Becoming a certified credit counselor is no easy task but if you're determined to help others become more financially stable and responsible and enjoy working with numbers then this may be a career in which are likely to be successful. The demand for certified consumer credit counselors is expected to grow in coming years according to the Department of Labor. Financial institutions are continually looking for qualified individuals as they bring knowledge and motivation to what can be a stressful position for all parties involved. Certifications will almost always help with employment opportunities and achieve top levels of success so it will be required that you receive additional training and ongoing education throughout your career.