I recently went to the Better Business Bureau’s website to look for “debt consolidation companies in Arizona.” I found pages, literally over a hundred different companies (in Phoenix alone) in the debt consolidation business. However, I found just three companies in the state of Arizona that offer debt consolidation services and are accredited by the BBB. Accreditation is a plus in the credit world, so here is a breakdown of these reputable companies.
First Arizona Credit Service, Inc. Located in downtown Phoenix, First Arizona Credit Service has been serving the capital area since 1993, and it has been accredited with the Better Business Bureau since 1998. The company posts an A+ rating, and there have been just two consumer complaints (both resolved) in the past three years. The BBB supplies a work number and mailing address where employees of the company can be reached. Members of First Arizona Credit Service are accredited by the Arizona Department of Financial Institutions.
Oswalt Law Group, PLLC. This law firm is based in Tempe, a nearby suburb of Phoenix. The company has recently been accredited by the BBB, and it posts a rating of A- because it’s only been around since 2009. Employees at Oswalt Law Group are professionally licensed by the State Bar of Arizona. Its BBB website also supplies a phone number and physical address, and Oswalt Law Group also has its own site. As they are attorneys, they deal mostly with bankruptcies, but they can also supply information about credit restoration and alternatives to bankruptcy, including debt consolidation. Office hours are Monday through Friday between 9 AM and 5 PM.
A Plus Credit and Debt Help Association. This company is based in Tucson, and it has two locations. A Plus was started in 1992, and it became accredited by the BBB in 2000. The BBB lists its products and services, which include “providing clients with an overall picture of their income, expenses, assets, and liabilities,” as well as developing “plans of action,” including debt management programs, lump-sum payoffs, and refinancing. A Plus also information about credit freezes, identity theft help, and interpreting your credit report. A Plus currently has… an A+.
The BBB posts a warning that, even though it accredits a certain company, it doesn’t automatically mean this company is better than the rest. However, the BBB does have more information on accredited businesses than non-accredited ones. If you ever have a complaint with a company’s services, please contact the BBB or your state Attorney General.
He played clarinet for the Marching Tar Heels in 2005 and 2006. He also volunteered for STV, the student-run television station at UNC-Chapel Hill, in the spring of 2010. He shot video, wrote scripts, and acted for “Off the Cuff,” UNC’s longest running sketch comedy show. He has the rare distinction of having lived in a dorm all four years of his undergraduate college career. He was also on Franklin Street on the night of April 4, 2009. His future plans are to pursue a master’s degree in journalism and to one day work for the media as a sports journalist or broadcaster.
Being one of eight children, David realizes finance is an important topic to everyone, regardless of his/her knowledge of the subject. His interests are in personal finance, budgeting, and savings.
In his spare time, David enjoys watching sports and standup comedy, as well as doing crossword puzzles and writing in the first person. He also thoroughly enjoys trivia and, one day, hopes to participate on the game show Jeopardy!, where he will try to break Ken Jennings’ 74-game win streak.
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