Talk:Credit counseling/Archives/2014

Is this current? Many links are broken?

I'm sure that the credit counseling market has been affected by the recession. Is this still current? most of the references are from around 2003, and many of the links at the bottom of the page are now broken. --Joey 204.76.113.51 (talk) 14:06, 23 August 2009 (UTC)

Myvesta - Debt Counselors of America

I was concerned when I read the credit counseling page recently and added information to help correct some common incorrect information about credit counseling but it was edited out immediately.

I'm wondering if the problem that lead to the information being edited out was that someone did not believe that it was true, it is.

So how can expert edits be made and the other side of the coin presented so that it is not immediately hacked out, leaving readers with only half the story?

Edited content that was removed below.

Inside credit counseling

All credit counseling executives are aware of the "secret" of the industry but most are afraid to speak out about it for fear of losing funding from the very creditors that provide operational funds to the agencies.

Steve Rhode, president of the not-for-profit organization Myvesta US and host of the radio show MoneyHelp stated, "Ïn the United States, credit counseling has become a wolf in sheep's clothing. While credit counseling agencies claim to operate for the benefit and welfare of consumers, they really have little to no power today to represent consumers with creditors to develop a fair and equitable repayment plan for people that need assistance with debt. Today, the creditors are the ones that dictate to the credit counseling agencies the terms they will accept for repayments, they are not negotiated, and debt repayment plans are not designed for the best interests of consumers in trouble. The creditors now tell the agencies how to operate, no matter what the affiliation of the credit counseling agency is."

Rhode said, "I am the president of Myvesta US, a not-for-profit agency that delivered repayment plans for years. I am well aware of the inside actives of agencies and creditors. Years ago, debt repayment plans were an effective tool to help reduce the financial burden of consumers in trouble. However, that is no longer the case."

"In 2003, Myvesta US decided to stop offering debt management programs once the creditors seized such control and power over the US credit counseling agencies that they could not operate independently and as an impartial third-party between creditors and consumers. It is only a matter of time before the curtain is pulled away from in front of credit counseling agencies that continue to offer debt repayment plans today and they are exposed for what they have allowed themselves to become, agents of the creditors."

While credit counseling may have started as a social service enterprise, today the vast majority of the funding for credit counseling agencies is derived from its collection activities of people enrolled in their debt repayment programs. All credit counseling agencies are primarily compensated by creditors for good collection efforts from consumers, not for offering the most compassionate, appropriate, equitable, or human care.

Some creditors claim to have stepped away from collection performance funding and moved to "black box" funding in which they claim to not provide funding based on collection performance. Some agencies that have not met the creditors collection criteria have been cutoff from funding leading people to see through the "black box". —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Debtguy (talk • contribs) 01:09, January 12, 2006 (UTC)