Q. What are your business hours?
A. Access Counseling® has live certified counselors available 24-hours a day and 7 Days a week!

Q. How long does it take to complete the required Credit Counseling and Debtor Education courses?

A. The pre-filing credit counseling course takes an average of 60 minutes to complete. The pre-discharge debtor education course takes a minimum of 2 hours.

The time requirements conform to the EOUST (Executive Office for U.S. Trustees), the Alabama Bankruptcy Administrators’, and the North Carolina Bankruptcy Administrators’ program guidelines. 

Q. Do I have to complete these courses (start-to-finish) during one session?

A. Online Course: No. You are allowed to complete each course with frequent interruptions. In fact, you can log in and out to complete the courses at your convenience over several days. Simply log back in as a returning user on the upper right hand corner of the page.

Telephonic Course: If you choose to take the Pre-Filing Credit Counseling course over the telephone, an experienced Access Counseling® counselor will guide you through the course. It is highly recommended that you complete the course in one session. Please call (888) 234-7209 to get started or to answer any questions.

If you choose to take the Post-Filing Debtor Education course over the telephone, an experienced Access Counseling® counselor will guide you through the course. It is highly recommended that you complete the course in one session. Please call (888) 234-7209 to get started or to answer any questions.

Q. How are the two required Bankruptcy Education courses offered?

A. Access Counseling® offers both courses online and by telephone.

Online Course: If you choose to take the Pre-filing Consumer Credit Counseling Course or Post-filing Debtor Education Course on-line, click the "Start Now" button in either the Credit Counseling or the Debtor Education box on our homepage to register.

The Credit Counseling Course requires a brief follow up counseling session/briefing with a certified counselor via phone or chat before your certificate of completion can be issued. The debtor education course does not require a follow-up phone call because your course certificate of completion will be automatically issued to you.

Telephonic Course: If you choose to take the Pre-filing Consumer Credit Counseling Course or the Post-filing Debtor Education Course by telephone, please call our toll-free number (888) 234-7209 to speak with one of our counselors to get started.

Q. Why is the Pre-filing Credit Counseling course and the Post-filing Debtor Education course mandatory?

A. The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 (BAPCPA) established a new set of rules for consumer bankruptcy filers. These new rules require the completion of a Credit Counseling course BEFORE filing for bankruptcy. In addition, you must complete a second financial education course (called a "Debtor Education" course) AFTER you have filed for bankruptcy and BEFORE the Court can discharge your bankruptcy petition. The U.S. Department of Justice's Executive Office for U.S. Trustees (EOUST) and the Bankruptcy Administrators in Alabama reviews and ultimately approves those organizations that are approved to offer these courses and issue official course certificates of completion to debtors in the USTP Regions and the State of Alabama.

Q. What language are the courses offered in?

A. Both the on-line and telephonic versions of the Access Counseling® Pre-filing Credit Counseling Course are offered in English and Spanish.

Both the on-line and telephonic versions of the Access Counseling® Post-filing Debtor Education Course are offered in English and Spanish.

Q. What are the delivery methods for certificates?

A. Your certificate can be sent through email, attorney email and/or attorney fax.

Q. How long does it take to receive a certificate after completing the course?

A. Certificates are sent via email immediately following the completion of each course. If you request that your certificate be delivered by fax, certificates are typically sent within the day. If you request delivery by the U.S. postal service, certificates typically arrive within 3-4 business days.

Q. What is the cost of this course?

A. The Pre-filing Consumer Credit Counseling Course is $25 for single filers, online or by phone. There is an additional $4.95 for joint filers online and additional $10 for joint filers by phone.

The Post-filing Debtor Education Course is $15 for single filers, online or by phone. There is an additional $4.95 for joint filers online and additional $10 for joint filers by phone.

Q. What are the methods of payment?

A. The methods of payment for the Pre-filing Credit Counseling Course and the Post-filing Debtor Education Course include credit cards and electronic check transfer. Access Counseling® also accepts Visa, Master Card, American Express, and Discover.