The right financial education can help you secure your financial future.
Finance basics are rarely taught in schools. Empower yourself with the knowledge you need to create financial security for you and your family.
Financial Workshops
We make learning fun and interactive!
If your classroom, workplace, or church group could benefit from financial education, we would be happy to lead a workshop on one of over 30 different topics, or customize one to fit your audience or needs.
Some of our popular topics include:
- Teaching Your Children About Money
- Understanding Student Loans Pre and Post College
- You and Your Credit Report
- Understanding Your Tax Assessment
- Beating the Financial Squeeze
- How to Get out of Debt Faster
Please get in touch to schedule a workshop for your group.
Rent Smart
This comprehensive course for renters will help you understand your rights as a tenant, avoid legal confrontations, and create a mutually beneficial landlord/tenant relationship.
The Rent Smart program helps participants overcome challenges in finding and securing rental housing, develop a positive relationship with their landlord, resolve problems, and avoid the need to move often.
Some landlords will accept this certificate as a "good faith," effort to be a responsible renter.
Please contact us for more information on the Rent Smart course.
Bankruptcy Education
Consumer Credit Counseling Service offers bankruptcy education programs that allow you to continue with the bankruptcy discharge process and learn everything you need to know about bankruptcy.
You can complete our bankruptcy education course online.
Please note that we do not give any legal advice. If you have legal questions, you should contact an attorney. CCCS is approved to issue certificates evidencing completion of a personal financial management instructional course in compliance with the Bankruptcy Code. Approval does not endorse or assure the quality of a Provider’s services.
Online Course: To complete the course online, please register and pay online or call us and we will register you. You will then receive a user ID and password via email, and you can take the online course at your convenience.
We care deeply for transparency and educated decisions. PLEASE READ below.
Fees and Issuance of Certificates: The following fees include any fees associated with the generation of the certificate.
- Bankruptcy Education (post filing, online – we register you) $50 single/$65 joint (Call us to be registered at 800-350-2227 - Cashier’s check, money order, debit card or cash accepted).
- Bankruptcy Education (post filing, online – self-register) $35 single/$50 joint
The agency has an obligation to provide a certificate to the debtor promptly upon the completion of the instructional course. A debtor will receive a certificate only if the they complete the instructional course.
Fee Waiver – CCCS provides instructional courses regardless of an individual’s ability to pay. You may be eligible to a fee waiver when you meet either or both of the two criteria below:
- As per 28 C.F.R. § 58.34 (b)(1)(i) -A debtor presumptively lacks the ability to pay the fee if the debtor's household current income is less than 150 percent of the poverty guidelines updated periodically in the FEDERAL REGISTER by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the authority of 42 U.S.C. 9902(2), as adjusted from time to time, for a household or family of the size involved in the fee determination.
- When your attorney filed pro-bono on your behalf.
Please notice: To verify whether your current household’s income is less than 150% of the government poverty guideline, please go to: https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/
If you are eligible to a fee waiver, you will have an option to demonstrate your eligibility during the registration process.
Bilingual Services: CCCS provides the instructional course in English or Spanish.
Instructors: all of our instructors are certified by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.
Referral: The agency does not pay or receive any fees or other consideration for the referral of debtors.
Debtor Information: Your information may be used for confidential research and/or a neutral third party may contact you to request an evaluation of the agency’s services. Also, CCCS might disclose debtor information to the United States Trustee in connection with the United States Trustee’s oversight of CCCS, or during the investigation of complaints, during on-site visits, or during quality of service reviews.
The United States Trustee has reviewed only the CCCS’ instructional course (and its services as a credit counseling agency). The United States Trustee has neither reviewed nor approved any other services CCCS provides to debtors.
Identity Theft and Scams
If you or someone you know has been a victim of a financial crime, it is not your fault. That said, there are some steps you can take to prevent identity theft and scams from happening to you.
Start by keeping crucial information secure, including your:
- Social security number
- Bank account information
- Credit cards
- Driver’s License and passport
- Phone and utility information
Take these steps to deter scams and identity theft:
- Shred anything that has your address or personal account information on it, as well as credit card applications you receive in the mail.
- Check all credit card and bank account statements carefully for anything suspicious.
- Check your credit report annually at annualcreditreport.com.
- Stop pre-approved credit card applications in your mail by calling 888.5OPT.OUT or visit optoutprescreen.com.
- Do not provide personal information over the phone, through emails or website pop-ups.
Take these steps to avoid credit card theft:
- Sign new cards as soon as they arrive
- Never lend your credit card to anyone
- Report questionable charges immediately
- Call credit bureau to report identity theft
If you are a victim of identity theft, you should:
- Contact your credit card companies and banks.
- Contact a credit agency to get an extended fraud alert placed on your account.
- File a police report.
- Document all correspondences as it relates to the situation
- For the most up-to-date, comprehensive list of current scams and Do’s and Don’ts, go to www.USA.gov/common-scams-frauds
If you think you have been a victim of a scam, here are additional agencies who can help you.
State of Wisconsin Consumer Protection 800.422.7128
USA Government www.usa.gov/common-scams-frauds
AARP Fraud Watch Network 877.908.3360
BBB Wise Giving Alliance www.give.org
National Fraud Information Center 800.876.7060
Wisconsin No-Call List 866.966.2255
Homeowner Education: Opening the Door to Homeownership
Required for some Downpayment Assistance programs.
This 6.5 hour, in-person course, is designed to make the home buying process easier to understand. If you’re wondering whether you are ready to take on a mortgage and what exactly is involved in the home buying process, this course is for you.
This complete program includes a follow-up financial counseling session with a certified credit counselor for a $100 fee, conducted on a separate date from the course. Participants will be eligible to receive a certificate upon completing the course and the follow-up counseling session.
Course Fee: Free of charge.
Future classes - to be announced.
To register for this course, call our office at 1-800-350-2227.
