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Consumer Debt Counselors Inc

EIN 59-3548266 · Winter Park, FL

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair57 out of 100GovernanceGood83 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

PROVIDE FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAMS THAT PROMOTE THE STEWARDSHIP OF FINANCIAL RESOURCES; PROVIDE FINANCIAL CRISIS COUNSELING ON A LOW-COST/NO-COST BASIS; AND, SERVE AS A COMMUNITY RESOURCE FOR FINANCIAL COUNSELING AND EDUCATION.

Income
$1.7 million
Spending
$1.6 million
Spent on programs
94%
Reserves
1.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 90%
Employees
15
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$67,081, coo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 57 out of 100. Higher than 27% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    2 of 20

    It owes 81% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 13% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    94% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    4 of 4 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $1.1 million spent. CONSUMER DEBT COUNSELORS PROVIDES FINANCIAL COUNSELING AND EDUCATION AND PROMOTES FINANCIAL WELLNESS TO UNDERSERVED AMERICAN FAMILIES. THE ORGANIZATION IS A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR CREDIT COUNSELING (NFCC), IS AN ACCREDITED MEMBER OF THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU WITH AN A+ RATING, AND HAS AN ISO 9001 CERTIFIED QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. CLIENTS WHO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT WITH A CERTIFIED CREDIT COUNSELOR COMPLETE A DETAILED FINANCIAL REVIEW. THEY WORK WITH THEIR COUNSELOR TO DEFINE THEIR FINANCIAL GOALS, ESTABLISH A BUDGET, AND CREATE AN ACTION PLAN TO ACHIEVE THEM. ALL FINANCIAL COUNSELING IS PROVIDED AT NO COST TO OUR CLIENTELE. GENEROUS GRANTS FROM COMMUNITY PARTNERS SUPPLY FUNDING. SOME CLIENTS WHO UNDERGO FINANCIAL COUNSELING MAY ENROLL IN A DEBT MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (DMP), WHICH ALLOWS CREDITORS TO RECOVER TOTAL OUTSTANDING BALANCES WHILE NEGOTIATING CONCESSIONS LIKE LOWER INTEREST RATES TO ENSURE CLIENTS CAN REPAY THEIR DEBTS WITHOUT ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES. DURING THE 2025 FISCAL YEAR, CONSUMER DEBT COUNSELORS CONDUCTED 3155 FINANCIAL COUNSELING SESSIONS IN PERSON, ONLINE, AND OVER THE TELEPHONE. IN THE SAME PERIOD, 963 CLIENTS STARTED A NEW DMP, AND 339 CLIENTS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED A DMP.
  2. $256,072 spent. SINCE 2012, CONSUMER DEBT COUNSELORS HAS MET THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT'S (HUD) STRICT REQUIREMENTS TO BE A HUD-CERTIFIED HOUSING COUNSELING AGENCY. OUR HOUSING COUNSELORS WORK WITH UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES TO OVERCOME HOUSING CHALLENGES IN MULTIPLE AREAS, INCLUDING FAIR HOUSING, HOMELESSNESS, RENTAL HOUSING, HOMEOWNERSHIP, MORTGAGE MODIFICATION, AND FORECLOSURE ASSISTANCE AND EDUCATION. ALL HOUSING COUNSELING SERVICES ARE PROVIDED AT NO COST TO CLIENTS. FUNDING FOR HOUSING PROGRAMS COMES FROM VARIOUS SOURCES, INCLUDING THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD), COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, AND STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. SOME HOUSING CLIENTS ENGAGE THE ORGANIZATION VIA WORKSHOPS. CONSUMER DEBT COUNSELORS REGULARLY HOLD SEMINARS ON BOTH PRE-PURCHASE AND POST-PURCHASE HOMEOWNERSHIP EDUCATION. DURING THE 2025 FISCAL YEAR, THE ORGANIZATION HELD 12 WORKSHOPS. OTHER HOUSING CLIENTS ENGAGE IN ONE-ON-ONE COUNSELING. DURING THE 2025 FISCAL YEAR, CONSUMER DEBT COUNSELORS PROVIDED ONE-ON-ONE HOUSING COUNSELING TO 587 CLIENTS. OVERALL, INCLUDING BOTH WORKSHOPS AND ONE-ON-ONE COUNSELING, CONSUMER DEBT COUNSELORS IMPROVED THE FINANCIAL CAPABILITIES AND SKILLS OF 696 CLIENTS, REFERRED 399 CLIENTS TO ADDITIONAL HOUSING SERVICES, REFERRED 5 CLIENTS TO OTHER SOCIAL SERVICES, COMPLETED 43 HOMELESS OR RENTAL COUNSELING SESSIONS, AND DELIVERED 39 PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING SESSIONS THAT RESULTED IN THE PURCHASE OF A HOME.
  3. $105,442 spent. CONSUMER DEBT COUNSELORS SEEKS TO BE A TRUSTED AND RESPECTED VOICE FOR CONSUMER FINANCIAL EDUCATION AND PROBLEM RESOLUTION IN OUR COMMUNITIES. ONE OF OUR PRIMARY FOCUS AREAS IS COMMUNITY OUTREACH. SINCE 2015, CONSUMER DEBT COUNSELORS HAS BEEN A PROUD SPONSOR OF JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES OF GREATER ORLANDO'S (JFS ORLANDO) FAMILY STABILIZATION PROGRAM (FSP). THE FSP IS A PREVENTATIVE, SIX-MONTH CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM DESIGNED TO HELP FAMILIES OBTAIN SELF-SUFFICIENCY BY TEACHING THEM CRITICAL SKILLS AND TOOLS TO RESOLVE CRISES AND AVOID FUTURE HARDSHIPS WHILE ACHIEVING LONG-TERM STABILITY. THE PROGRAM'S PRIMARY OBJECTIVES ARE TO IMPROVE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SKILLS, EMPLOYABILITY, FAMILY STABILITY, AND MENTAL HEALTH AND TO MAINTAIN OR IMPROVE HOUSING. THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED BY PROVIDING CLIENTS WITH VARIOUS SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AT NO COST TO PARTICIPANTS. CONSUMER DEBT COUNSELORS PROVIDES WORKSHOPS ON CRISIS BUDGETING, REBUILDING CREDIT, SAVING, AND BASIC MONEY MANAGEMENT FOR EACH COHORT. ADDITIONALLY, THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES ONGOING ONE-ON-ONE FINANCIAL COUNSELING FOR ALL PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS. DURING THE 2025 FISCAL YEAR, 40 HOUSEHOLDS PARTICIPATED IN JFS ORLANDO'S FSP. EACH OF THESE HOUSEHOLDS COMPLETED WORKSHOPS AND FINANCIAL COUNSELING SESSIONS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since May 1999.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.