How to Get Free Credit Counseling in Wyoming

Find Wyoming Nonprofit Credit Counseling Agencies

Two important things you should look for when choosing a Wyoming credit counseling organization is a.) whether the credit counseling agency is a for-profit company or a non-profit agency; and b) if it is a non-profit credit counseling agency, whether it’s accredited.

You want to ensure you’re dealing with a Wyoming non-profit organization because reputable non-profit Wyoming credit counseling agencies don’t charge you for your initial debt counseling session. In addition, non-profit Wyoming credit counseling agencies are prohibited from “pitching” a debt management program to you whether or not it is right for you. And finally, a reputable non-profit Wyoming credit counseling agency will provide you with free educational materials you can take with you after the session. Whether you decide to take advantage of any of their debt relief services, or not.

Finally, you should also ensure the non-profit Wyoming credit counseling agency is accredited. Not all “non-profits” are accredited. An accredited non-profit credit counseling agency follows industry-standard credit counseling practices set by the national organization that accredited them. These standards include such things as emphasizing financial education over program enrollment, having trained and certified credit counselors, providing free, no-obligation initial credit counseling and adhering to full and fair disclosure of their services and fees.

Information to Research Before Talking to a Wyoming Credit Counseling Agency

The State of Wyoming has several resources you can use to verify the credit counseling organization you choose to use is reputable. The first of these is the Wyoming Secretary of State. The Wyoming Secretary of State maintains a database of every for-profit or non-profit company authorized to do business in the State of Wyoming. This database discloses the name of the organization, its registered agent, its business address, its operating status (valid or invalid) and whether or not it’s operating as a for-profit or non-profit organization. The Wyoming Attorney General has a Consumer Protection Division that accepts and investigates complaints filed against credit counseling agencies that do not deal honestly with the public.

Finally, you can determine if the non-profit, Wyoming credit counseling agency you choose is accredited by verifying their accreditation with the National Foundation for Credit Counseling or the Financial Counseling Association of America. You can also check the credit counseling agency’s rating with the national Better Business Bureau.

Whether you use one or all of these resources, if you find anything that makes you feel uncomfortable about dealing with the credit counseling agency, choose another one and do the same research on it until you find one you’re satisfied is trustworthy and reputable.

Questions to Ask the Wyoming Credit Counselor Before Signing up

No matter how bad your financial situation is or how far behind you are on your bills, you should not be railroaded into any debt relief program you are uncomfortable with starting. The best way to make sure this does not happen to you during your initial credit counseling session is by arming yourself with a list of important questions you would like answered before taking the next step. You can put whatever questions you want on your list, but in case you need help coming up with some. Here are some questions you could start with.

•  Is there any cost for the initial session? This answer should always be no. So follow this up by asking the Wyoming credit counselor to explain the costs and monthly fees you will be responsible for if you choose to follow their recommendation.

•  Ask for specific details on the counseling session itself? How long will it last? What should I bring with me? Where will it take place? How will the session be conducted? These questions are intended to lower your nervousness about attending the session and make you feel more comfortable about the meeting.

•  How long will the session last? Most initial counseling sessions last 45 minutes to one hour. But if you feel that is too short or too long, ask your counselor is possible to shorten the session, or alternatively, whether can you get a longer session if you need it. The answer to either of these questions should always be yes.

What to Expect During Credit Counseling

What you can expect at your initial credit counseling session will vary depending on whether you choose to do the session in-person, over-the-telephone or online. If you do the session on-line or over-the-phone you can usually start it 24 hours a day. You will be walked through a series of questions and answers about your current financial situation. If you complete the session you will receive a recommendation for next steps. If you are unable to finish it, you can pick up where you left off later or you can submit a request to have a Wyoming credit counselor call you. If you want to do the session in-person, you will usually have to schedule an appointment, to make sure a certified credit counselor is available when you want to come in. However, by completing the session in person you will be able to meet your credit counselor face to face and begin to develop a personal relationship with them, you will also be able to conduct the counseling session at your own pace, ask questions as they arise and get a more thorough review of your financial situation by authorizing your credit counselor to pull your credit report and review your credit score with you. In addition, you will be able to leave with brochures, pamphlets or other educational material to provide you with more information on the money management and debt relief options you are considering.

In order to get the most out of your free initial credit counseling session, you should try and bring some helpful documents with you. If your debts consist mostly of credit card debt, then you should try and bring the most recent credit card statement for all of our credit card accounts. You should also bring any medical bills, student loans, car loans or payday loans you are paying on every month. Also, bring something showing how much you earn and how often you get paid. Finally, if you have one, bring a recent copy of your credit report. You can obtain a free copy of your annual credit report online before attending. But remember, you don’t need any of these documents to get free credit counseling in Wyoming. In a pinch, some simple notes with as much of this information as you can put together are sufficient to give your credit counselor a picture of your current financial situation. Ultimately, the initial credit counseling session is not about “documenting” your poor financial condition but rather about extending you a helping hand, here and now.

What Happens After Credit Counseling in Wyoming

Hopefully, the first thing that will happen after your initial Wyoming credit counseling session, is that you breathe a sigh of relief. Because you now realize help is available and, over time, you can get out of debt. What else happens after your initial Wyoming credit counseling depends on whether you choose to follow your Wyoming credit counselor’s recommendation. If you do, some of the options that might be available to you are highlighted below.