Pre-Filing Counseling Privacy Policy
Our agency is committed to assuring the privacy of individuals and/or families who have contacted us for assistance. We assure you that all information shared both orally and in writing will be managed within legal and ethical considerations. Your "personal financial information", such as your total debt information, income, living expenses and personal information concerning your financial circumstances, will be provided to creditors and possibly others with your specific authorization.
We may also use aggregated case file information for the purpose of evaluating our services, gathering valuable research information and designing future programs. Your anonymity will be maintained through the use of your client number or by using aggregate data in all circumstances.
In all other situations, your information may be released to appropriate individuals or agencies ONLY UPON YOUR WRITTEN REQUEST, or when our staff has been served by a valid subpoena.
Before providing counseling, we disclose and you acknowledge and agree to the following:
Pre-Filing Bankruptcy Counseling:
- Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Rochester, NY (CCCS) Inc. is a nonprofit agency. Funding comes in part from creditors participating in a Dept. Management Plan (DMP). Since creditors have a financial interest in getting paid, they are willing to make a contribution, up to 15% of each payment received, to help fund debt management and education programs. CCCS has counselors who are NFCC certified consumer credit counselors. The professional counselor will counsel and advise you on money management and budgeting pertaining to your financial situation and provide you with a confidential written assessment outlining a suggested action plan without incurring negative amortization of dept. Participation in a DMP may have a favorable or unfavorable impact on your credit report. Counselors are not attorneys and cannot give legal advice. If you want legal or tax advice, including that concerning bankruptcy, you will need to seek appropriate assistance from other parties.
- Client privacy is important to us and the counseling services we provide are confidential. Authorized agencies with legitimate authority to monitor the agency's practices may review your file for quality assurance, compliance or research purposes. If such a review should occur, findings will be kept confidential.
- For a pre-filing bankruptcy counseling session, you will be charged a fee of $50.00 per person for this service and related certificates. CCCS will provide services without regard to a client's ability to pay. Waiving the fee for services will be assessed based on regulations from NY State and on written verification of your family's monthly gross income in relation to Federal Poverty Level Guidelines. For the purposes of this assessment, "your family" is defined as you, your spouse (unless you are separated and not intending to file a joint bankruptcy petition) and any other dependents.
- The only acceptable forms of payment are debit card, cashier's check or money order. CCCS will provide your attorney and/or bankruptcy judge/trustee with copies of your action plan, pre-bankruptcy counseling certificate, as well as any other required information gathered during the counseling session.
- By providing us with a copy of your driver's license and verification of your social security number (by fax, mail or in person) you will authorize us to provide counseling for you. Certificates will not be issued without verification of identity.
