Part of the Credit Counseling Hub: This post is one piece of my complete Credit Counseling: The Complete Guide — what a DMP costs, who it helps, the agency financial stability risk, and how to verify any agency before enrolling.
Quick Answer: Consumer Credit of Des Moines is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) credit counseling agency. To evaluate whether they’re right for you, I’d encourage you to review their publicly filed IRS Form 990, check their NFCC membership, and read their BBB profile before enrolling in any program — and before signing up with any credit counseling agency, I’d compare it against bankruptcy first, since a debt management plan can take years to repay in full and quietly costs you retirement savings that bankruptcy doesn’t.
Before You Read This: I want to be upfront about what this page is and isn’t. I’m not an investment advisor, and I’m not rendering a verdict on Consumer Credit of Des Moines. This is a research guide — I’m showing you where to look so you can reach your own conclusions based on current information.
If you find something in the public record that concerns you, post it in the comments below. If you’re evaluating their contract, use my free Contract Decoder tool.
If you represent Consumer Credit of Des Moines and something here is inaccurate, contact me and I’ll review it promptly.
If you have inside information you feel you need to share with me privately: don’t. Whatever you want to share should be posted in the comments — by you, with your name attached. I’m not willing to be anyone’s conduit for information they won’t stand behind themselves.
The most valuable thing on this page may not be what I’ve written — it’s the comments section below. People who’ve actually worked with Consumer Credit of Des Moines share their experiences there. I’d encourage you to read them and add your own.
Who Is Consumer Credit of Des Moines?
An educated consumer is our best customer.— Sy Syms
New here? My Ultimate Consumer Guide to Checking Out a Debt Relief Company walks through how to vet any debt relief company before you sign anything.
Consumer Credit of Des Moines is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) credit counseling agency. Rather than repeat what they say about themselves here, I’d encourage you to read their own website and IRS Form 990 filings — that way you’re seeing it directly from primary sources, not filtered through me.
Step 1: Check Their Credentials
Before anything else, verify they have the credentials they claim. Here’s what to check:
- NFCC Membership: The National Foundation for Credit Counseling member directory lists accredited nonprofit credit counselors. Verify Consumer Credit of Des Moines is listed there.
- HUD Approval: If they offer housing counseling, check the HUD-approved housing counselor list to confirm their approval status.
- BBB Profile: Check their Better Business Bureau profile — look at the rating, years in business, and the complaint history and how they responded.
- State Licensing (NMLS): Credit counseling agencies must be licensed in each state they operate. Check NMLS Consumer Access to verify their licensing in your state.
A Note on Nonprofit Status: Nonprofit status means the organization doesn’t pay corporate taxes and can accept tax-deductible donations — it doesn’t automatically mean their fees are low or that they’re conflict-free. The IRS Form 990 is your window into how they actually operate.
Step 2: Check Consumer Complaints
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau maintains a public database of complaints filed against financial companies. You can search for Consumer Credit of Des Moines directly:
The Daily Money Brief — Free, at 10 AM
Money you may be owed, scams to dodge, and the fine print decoded — the consumer money news that affects your wallet, every weekday.
Search Consumer Credit of Des Moines’ complaint history in the CFPB database →
When you’re reading complaints, look for:
- What the complaints are about — fees, program performance, communication problems?
- How the company responded — did they resolve issues or just close them?
- Whether the same issue appears repeatedly — a pattern matters more than a single complaint
- The ratio of complaints to clients — a larger organization will have more complaints in raw numbers
Step 3: Read Their Reviews
Search for Consumer Credit of Des Moines reviews on Google Reviews. A few things to keep in mind as you read:
- Pay attention to what the 5-star reviews are actually about. If they’re praising a friendly phone call or easy signup — that’s interaction quality, not program performance. Compare those against reviews that specifically mention outcomes: debt reduced, program completed, fees as expected.
- Read the 2- and 3-star reviews carefully — these tend to be the most honest, from people who had mixed experiences and aren’t trying to tear the organization apart
- Look at how the organization responds to negative reviews — a defensive or dismissive response tells you something
Step 4: Read Their IRS Form 990
As a nonprofit, Consumer Credit of Des Moines is required to file an IRS Form 990 annually — and those filings are public. This is one of the most underused research tools available to consumers.
Find Consumer Credit of Des Moines’ Form 990 filings on ProPublica’s Nonprofit Explorer →
When you open a 990, here’s what to look for:
- Executive compensation — What does leadership earn? Is it proportionate to the organization’s size and mission?
- Revenue vs. expenses — Are they running surpluses or consistent deficits? Multiple deficit years can signal financial instability.
- Program service revenue — How much of their income comes from the fees clients pay versus grants and donations?
- Mission alignment — Read their description of program services. Does what they say they do match how they describe their activities to the IRS?
- Conflict of interest policy — Part VI asks whether the organization has a conflict-of-interest policy and how it’s enforced
Why This Matters: Nonprofit status means they don’t pay corporate taxes and can accept tax-deductible donations — it doesn’t mean they’re automatically trustworthy or that their fees are low. The 990 is your window into how they actually operate. Consumer Credit of Des Moines’ EIN is 42-1301505 if you need to look them up directly.
Step 5: Ask the Right Questions Before You Enroll
Before signing anything: Run their contract through my free Contract Decoder tool. Paste it in and get a plain-English breakdown of what you’re agreeing to.
Before you commit to any debt management plan, get clear answers — in writing — to these questions:
- What is the total cost — monthly fees plus any enrollment fee — over the full length of the program?
- Which creditors do they have established relationships with, and which don’t participate?
- What happens to my accounts that aren’t included in the program?
- What are the consequences if I miss a payment or need to pause the program?
- How is my monthly payment held — in a trust account — and what happens to it if I cancel?
- What does success look like, and what percentage of people who enroll complete the program?
Before You Commit: A debt management plan isn’t right for everyone. Run your situation through my Find Your Path tool to see whether a DMP, debt settlement, bankruptcy, or another option fits your situation better.
Key Takeaways
- Verify credentials through NFCC, BBB, and NMLS before anything else
- Read CFPB complaints for patterns — not just raw numbers
- Check Google Reviews and compare interaction feedback vs. actual program outcomes
- The IRS Form 990 is public — use it to verify how they operate as a nonprofit (EIN: 42-1301505)
- Get answers to the enrollment questions in writing before you sign
- The comments section below contains real experiences from real clients — read them
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Consumer Credit of Des Moines a nonprofit?
Yes. Consumer Credit of Des Moines is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Their IRS filings are publicly available through ProPublica’s Nonprofit Explorer — you can verify their status and review their financial filings there.
How do I file a complaint against Consumer Credit of Des Moines?
You can file a complaint directly with the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. You can also file with your state attorney general’s office and the BBB. Filing with the CFPB creates a public record and triggers a required company response.
Is Consumer Credit of Des Moines accredited?
They are a member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling. NFCC membership requires agencies to meet standards for counselor certification, fee practices, and financial oversight. Check the NFCC directory to confirm their current membership status.
What is a debt management plan and how does it work?
A debt management plan (DMP) is a structured repayment program where you make one monthly payment to the credit counseling agency, which distributes funds to your creditors — typically at reduced interest rates. Most DMPs take 3-5 years to complete. The agency charges a monthly service fee, which varies by state. Before enrolling, ask specifically which creditors participate in their program and what the total cost will be over the life of the plan.
Share Your Experience with Consumer Credit of Des Moines
If you’ve worked with Consumer Credit of Des Moines — as a client, a former employee, or someone who looked into them and decided not to enroll — I’d encourage you to share your experience in the comments. Your perspective helps others make a more informed decision.
To share your experience: Scroll to the bottom of this page — the comments box is there.
Before You Sign Anything: Run any debt relief contract through the free Contract Decoder to spot hidden fees and unfair terms. Check the company’s complaint history with the Scam-O-Meter.
Compare Your Real Options: Most debt relief companies won’t tell you about all your options — especially the ones they can’t profit from. Credit counseling has a 21-27% completion rate. Settlement resolves about 1% of enrolled debts fully. Bankruptcy has a 95% discharge rate — and protects your retirement. Take the Find Your Path quiz for a recommendation based on your actual numbers.
Browse all Credit Counseling & Debt Management reviews, or see the full Company Reviews directory.
