Call Now to Speak with a Certified Debt Relief Counselor
Debt Reduction Services takes certification and ongoing education seriously to ensure the competency and knowledge of its professional staff. The requirement for Counselors, Client File Specialists, and Client Experience staff to be certified by the Partnership for Financial Education www.Financialed.org demonstrates the company’s commitment to providing reliable and informed advice on debt consolidation programs and related services.
Moreover, the company’s commitment to continuous improvement and staying up to date with industry developments is evident through the requirement of 20 continuing education hours every two years for its certified staff. This ongoing education ensures that the staff stays informed about the latest trends and updates in the field of financial education and debt management.
The Ethics course that is required for certification renewal is another essential aspect of maintaining high standards of professionalism and integrity within the company. Ethics training helps staff members understand and adhere to ethical principles and guidelines when dealing with clients and their financial situations.
To Become Certified, Employees Must Meet These Eligibility Requirements:
- Have a high school degree or the equivalent
- Have a minimum of six months’ work experience in any of the following:
- Debt Relief Industry, including but not limited to: Credit/Housing/Mortgage and Reverse Mortgage/Bankruptcy/Debt/Budget Counseling
- Financial Services Industry, including, but not limited to: Consumer Finance/Lending, Financial Planning/Advising, Collections
- Other relevant work experience, including but not limited to: Credit Reporting, Accounting, Financial Education, Financial Therapy
The Course Outline from the Partnership for Financial Education Website for Our Debt Consolidation Program:
The PFE Certified Debt Management Professional (CDMP) program was developed to ensure professionals providing debt management and related services have the knowledge and expertise required of them by employers, consumers, and regulators.
Part I – Communicate Your Compassion
Discusses the importance of cultivating the client/counselor relationship and all it takes to make the counseling session a success. The greater understanding a counselor has of how the client perceives money, the more empowered the counselor can be in helping the client implement positive change.
Part II – Personal Financial Management Skills
Discusses the financial components necessary for the success of the counseling session, as well as explaining the tools clients need to have a financially healthy life. Also discussed is identity theft and essential documents that everyone should have.
Part III – Housing and Student Loans
Discusses basic information counselors need to have to be able to answer questions from clients on a variety of housing-related issues. Part III also helps to demystify student loans.
Part IV – Consumer Protection Laws
Is a synopsis of consumer protection laws.
Part V – Resource Guide
This is where supporting worksheets, resource lists, and a practice exam can be found.
Other Certifications
At Debt Reduction Services, we go beyond our staff’s certification requirements and extend our commitment to knowledge and expertise to our student loan counseling and Bankruptcy counseling programs as well.
Our courses for these programs are sourced from the Partnership for Financial Education website, ensuring that our counselors are well-equipped to provide valuable guidance and support in these specialized areas. By staying up to date with the latest information, we aim to deliver the best possible assistance to our clients facing student loan and bankruptcy challenges.
- We require all Certified Counselors who counsel student loans to be certified in this specialty.
- We require all Certified Counselors who counsel Pre and Post Bankruptcy to be certified in this before they talk to any client who is going through bankruptcy. This is also required by the EOUST.
- States requirements: Several States require a special Certification to be completed before the counselor can advise a client in that state.
Florida Payday loans: We are one of the few that has made the effort to help our clients in the state of Florida with their payday loans. By going through the state mandates, we can help thousands of consumers with their payday loans. See our Florida Payday loan page for more information.
Housing Counseling (HUD) Certification
At Debt Reduction Services, our professional housing counselors hold HUD-certified housing counselor credentials. This certification reflects their expertise in providing knowledgeable advice on various housing-related matters, including financial literacy, homeownership opportunities, and access to affordable housing. Our counselors undergo rigorous training and examinations to become HUD-certified, ensuring they are well-equipped to assist clients effectively.
HUD Certification Eligibility
The HUD Housing Counselor Certification Program focuses on essential training modules that cover critical competency areas to provide effective counseling services. These modules equip our counselors with the necessary skills and knowledge to best serve our clients:
Part I – Communicate Your Compassion
Emphasizing the significance of building strong client-counselor relationships, this module empowers counselors to create successful counseling sessions. They gain insights into understanding clients’ perceptions of money, enabling them to provide valuable guidance for positive financial changes.
Part II – Personal Financial Management Skills
This module equips counselors with the essential components required for successful counseling sessions. They learn about vital financial tools, techniques for clients to lead financially healthy lives, and important aspects like identity theft and essential documents.
Part III – Housing and Student Loans
With a focus on housing-related topics, this module enables counselors to answer clients’ questions with confidence. It also demystifies student loans, addressing common concerns raised by clients.
Part IV – Consumer Protection Laws
Counselors gain an overview of crucial consumer protection laws, ensuring they can guide clients effectively on their rights and financial safeguards.
Part V – Resource Guide
This comprehensive section offers supporting materials, resource lists, and a practice exam, providing counselors with valuable tools to reinforce their learning.
At Debt Reduction Services, we believe that attaining HUD certification is a testament to our housing counselors’ dedication to providing reliable and expert guidance to our clients. By empowering our counselors with in-depth knowledge and expertise, we continue to uphold our commitment to excellence and professionalism in the services we offer.
ISO Certification since 2001
Since 2001, Debt Reduction Services has been certified compliant by BVQi NA, Inc. with the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System Standard.
This certification demonstrates our commitment to delivering the highest level of quality service to our clients.
In addition to the company’s certification, we have employees who are certified as Lead auditors through this system.
This further reinforces our dedication to maintaining and improving our quality management processes, ensuring that our clients receive exceptional and reliable debt reduction services.
