Consumer credit counseling, debt management, and financial education services provided by non-profit credit counseling companies designed to establish equilibrium between consumers, creditors, and member agencies for the successful rehabilitation of debt-challenged families and individuals.

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The AICCCA mission is to promote quality and professional delivery of credit counseling services. AICCCA independent non-profit member agencies assist millions of consumers annually with counseling and debt management services. Find out more about joining the AICCCA.

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AICCCA Press Release

AICCCA Counselors See Clients Today With Different Problems

FAIRFAX, VA - October 5, 2011 — Association of Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies conducts quarterly surveys of their members. The data from the reporting agencies from 2007 compared to the data collected in 2011 has revealed some significant changes, both in the type of clients seeking services today and the types of services they seek.

"Data collected from the first two quarters of the 2011 Quarterly Statistical Surveys confirms what our counselors have been observing in their offices," said David Jones, president, AICCCA. "The continuing financial crisis has brought about a change in the portrait of the average consumer credit counseling client seeking help today."

Much of the data collected is about clients on a Debt Management Plan, a program designed to pay off debt in five years or less. Notable changes in the average DMP client are

Comparing data from 2007 through the first two quarters of 2011, AICCCA finds that:

Clients today seek counseling mainly for reasons other than credit card debt. The percentage of clients seeking counseling mainly for credit card debt has decreased by 22 percent since 2007.

Clients today are putting less unsecured debt into DMPs since the height of the financial crisis in 2009. The highest average amount of unsecured debt was $35,515, recorded in 2009. The current average amount of unsecured debt is $16,976 for clients on DMPs. This is down 52 percent from that 2009 high.

The average amount of gross income of DMP clients has increased 52 percent since 2007. The average gross income of DMP clients was $28,502 in 2007. In the first two quarters of 2011, the average gross income of DMP clients was $43,461.

The highest average amount of debt placed into DMPs was $25,134, recorded in 2009. The current average amount of debt placed into DMPs is down 27 percent from that 2009 high, to $17,866 for the first two quarters of 2011.

The highest number of average annual reverse mortgage counseling sessions conducted by member agencies was 5,631, recorded in 2007. By 2010, the average annual number of reverse mortgage counseling sessions conducted by member agencies had declined by 91 percent.

Founded in 1993, Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies (AICCCA) is a national membership organization, established to promote quality and consistent delivery of credit counseling services. AICCCA and its members are focused on improved creditor relations, efficient processes and advanced technology to best serve clients and creditors. AICCCA members are independent nonprofit agencies that advocate for debtors, counsel millions of consumers annually nationwide and provide debt management services to consumers with excessive unsecured debt. For more information or to contact an AICCCA member office call 866-703-TRUSTAICCCA (866-703-8787) or visit www.aiccca.org.

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