--- title: "Credit Counseling and Debt Help for West Virginia Residents" description: "Free credit counseling and debt management plans for West Virginia residents, plus housing, student loan and bankruptcy help from Cambridge Credit Counseling." url: https://www.cambridge-credit.org/debt-help-in-west-virginia publisher: "Cambridge Credit Counseling Corp" updated: 2026-09-30 --- # Credit Counseling and Debt Help for West Virginia Residents West Virginia residents can get free credit counseling, debt management plans, student loan counseling, housing counseling, reverse mortgage counseling, and bankruptcy counseling through Cambridge Credit Counseling, a nonprofit agency founded in 1996. Cambridge does not offer debt settlement. Call 800-235-1407 to start a free counseling session and learn which options fit your situation. ## Credit Counseling for West Virginia Residents Cambridge Credit Counseling offers free credit counseling sessions to West Virginia residents. Counselors are certified and the agency is ISO 9001 registered. Cambridge is also a member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling. A session can help a West Virginia resident understand their budget and debt options with no cost or obligation. ## Debt Management Plans in West Virginia A debt management plan from Cambridge Credit Counseling consolidates unsecured debts into one monthly payment administered by the counseling agency. It is not a loan and does not involve borrowing new money. In West Virginia, fees are set within the maximum the state allows, and a counselor confirms yours before you enroll. On a plan, almost all concessions such as reduced interest rates or waived fees follow preset guidelines set by each creditor, not by Cambridge. In some cases they can vary based on the level of hardship in the budget, and certain accounts may not be eligible for them. West Virginia residents can discuss whether a debt management plan fits their situation during a free counseling session. ## Housing Counseling and Homebuyer Help in West Virginia Cambridge Credit Counseling is a HUD-approved housing counseling agency, and this service is available to West Virginia residents. It includes first-time homebuyer courses. A mortgage is a long-term secured loan where the home serves as collateral, and a monthly payment usually includes principal, interest, taxes, and insurance, known as PITI. Homebuyers who put down less than 20 percent typically need private mortgage insurance, which can often be dropped once the loan reaches 80 percent loan-to-value. West Virginia residents who cannot afford a 20 percent down payment can talk with a HUD-approved counselor about programs that may help. ## Student Loan and Reverse Mortgage Counseling in West Virginia Student loan counseling and reverse mortgage (HECM) counseling are both available to West Virginia residents through Cambridge Credit Counseling. These sessions can help residents understand their options before making a long-term financial decision. ## Bankruptcy Counseling and Debtor Education in West Virginia Cambridge Credit Counseling is approved by the Department of Justice to provide pre-filing bankruptcy counseling and post-filing debtor education, and West Virginia residents can use both services. Bankruptcy counseling and debtor education each cost $50.00 per household per session and are available free or at a reduced rate based on ability to pay. The fee is per household, not per person, so a married couple filing together pays once. Households with income below 150 percent of the federal poverty guidelines for their household size are presumed eligible for a fee waiver. Households above that line may still qualify for a reduced fee if they can show a temporary financial hardship, such as a recent job loss or drop in income, unexpected medical costs, disability, separation or divorce, the death of a household wage earner, or another documented financial circumstance that significantly impacts the household's ability to pay. Waivers and reductions are assessed on the household's current income, expenses and overall financial condition, and Cambridge Credit Counseling will not refuse services to anyone due to inability to pay. Approval by the U.S. Department of Justice Executive Office of United States Trustees does not endorse or assure the quality of our services. ## Debt Settlement Is Not Offered in West Virginia Debt settlement means negotiating to pay less than the full balance owed, and it is typically offered by for-profit companies. There is no legal right to settle a debt in the United States, and a creditor is not obliged to accept a settlement offer. While a consumer sets money aside for a future settlement, interest and late fees generally continue to be assessed, so the balance keeps growing. A settlement company's fees are typically charged on top of the settled amount. If a settlement succeeds, the forgiven amount is generally taxable as income unless the consumer is insolvent, and the creditor sends a Form 1099-C. Cambridge Credit Counseling does not provide debt settlement to West Virginia residents. Instead, Cambridge offers a debt management plan, whose fees are set within the maximum West Virginia allows, along with a free, no-obligation debt evaluation to help residents compare their options. ## How to Get Started in West Virginia West Virginia residents can call Cambridge Credit Counseling at 800-235-1407 to ask about credit counseling, debt management plans, housing counseling, student loan counseling, reverse mortgage counseling, or bankruptcy counseling. Credit counseling sessions are free of charge. ## Questions and answers ### Is credit counseling free for West Virginia residents? Yes. Credit counseling sessions at Cambridge Credit Counseling are free of charge for West Virginia residents. ### Does Cambridge Credit Counseling offer debt settlement in West Virginia? No. Cambridge Credit Counseling does not offer debt settlement. We offer credit counseling and debt management plans instead; plan fees are set within the maximum West Virginia allows and confirmed before you enroll. Debt settlement is typically offered by for-profit companies. A creditor is not obliged to accept a settlement offer, the balance can keep growing while a consumer saves for one, and forgiven debt is generally taxable unless the consumer is insolvent. ### Can West Virginia residents get help with foreclosure or buying a first home? Yes. Cambridge Credit Counseling is a HUD-approved housing counseling agency and offers first-time homebuyer courses to West Virginia residents. Cambridge Credit Counseling provides foreclosure help only to residents of Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Missouri and Kansas, so West Virginia homeowners facing foreclosure can find a HUD-approved housing counselor in their area at HUD.gov. ### How much does bankruptcy counseling cost for West Virginia residents? Bankruptcy counseling and debtor education each cost $50.00 per household per session and are available free or at a reduced rate based on ability to pay. The fee is per household, not per person, so a married couple filing together pays once. Households with income below 150 percent of the federal poverty guidelines for their household size are presumed eligible for a fee waiver. Households above that line may still qualify for a reduced fee if they can show a temporary financial hardship, such as a recent job loss or drop in income, unexpected medical costs, disability, separation or divorce, the death of a household wage earner, or another documented financial circumstance that significantly impacts the household's ability to pay. Waivers and reductions are assessed on the household's current income, expenses and overall financial condition, and Cambridge Credit Counseling will not refuse services to anyone due to inability to pay. ## Sources - John Henle, Cambridge Credit Counseling, email of 24 September 2026; 28 CFR 58.21(b)(1) and 58.34(b)(1) (checked 2026-09-24) - Mortgage Downpayments| Cambridge Credit: https://cambridge-credit.org/mortgage-down-payments.html (checked 2026-08-04) - Gary Washington, Director of Bankruptcy Counseling, Cambridge Credit Counseling, by email 2 September 2026. (checked 2026-09-02) - cambridge-credit.org credit counseling page: https://cambridge-credit.org/credit-counseling.html (checked 2026-08-03) - Mortgage Downpayments| Cambridge Credit: https://cambridge-credit.org/mortgage-down-payments.html (checked 2026-08-04) - Cambridge Credit Counseling: https://cambridge-credit.org/index.html (checked 2026-08-04) - cambridge-credit.org contact page: https://cambridge-credit.org/contact.html (checked 2026-08-03) - cambridge-credit.org about page: https://cambridge-credit.org/about.html (checked 2026-08-03) - cambridge-credit.org housing counseling page: https://cambridge-credit.org/housing-counseling.html (checked 2026-08-03) - Cambridge Credit Counseling: https://cambridge-credit.org/index.html (checked 2026-08-04) - NFCC Member Agencies register: https://www.nfcc.org/nfcc-member-agencies/ (checked 2026-08-28) - cambridge-credit.org bankruptcy page: https://cambridge-credit.org/bankruptcy-counseling.html (checked 2026-08-03) - cambridge-credit.org about page: https://cambridge-credit.org/about.html (checked 2026-08-03) - Federal Trade Commission, How To Get Out of Debt: https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-get-out-debt (checked 2026-09-18) - Federal Trade Commission, How To Get Out of Debt: https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-get-out-debt (checked 2026-09-18) - Federal Trade Commission, How To Get Out of Debt: https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-get-out-debt (checked 2026-09-18) - How To Get Out of Debt, Federal Trade Commission: https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-get-out-debt (checked 2026-08-28) - CFPB consumer guidance: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-the-difference-between-credit-counseling-and-debt-settlement-debt-consolidation-or-credit-repair-en-1449/ (checked 2026-08-28) - industry definition, NFCC: https://www.nfcc.org/resources/debt-management-plans/ (checked 2026-08-28) - Mortgage Basics | Cambridge Credit: https://cambridge-credit.org/mortgage-basics.html (checked 2026-08-04) - Mortgage Basics | Cambridge Credit: https://cambridge-credit.org/mortgage-basics.html (checked 2026-08-04) - Mortgage Basics | Cambridge Credit: https://cambridge-credit.org/mortgage-basics.html (checked 2026-08-04) - Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, I’ve seen a lot of advertisements for companies that consolidate credit card debt. Are these legitimate?: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/ive-seen-a-lot-of-advertisements-for-companies-that-consolidate-credit-card-debt-are-these-legitimate-en-1859/ (checked 2026-09-18) - Mortgage Downpayments| Cambridge Credit: https://cambridge-credit.org/mortgage-down-payments.html (checked 2026-08-04) - Mortgage Downpayments| Cambridge Credit: https://cambridge-credit.org/mortgage-down-payments.html (checked 2026-08-04) --- Cambridge Credit Counseling Corp is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit credit counseling agency. Credit counseling is free. Talk to a counselor: 800-857-2808 | https://www.cambridge-credit.org/get-help Cambridge Credit Counseling Corp is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Required disclosures and state licenses, the privacy notice and the terms are linked in the footer of every page.