The Village Financial Resource Center is a nonprofit community service organization that provides confidential financial guidance, including Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS), money management education, budgeting advice and a debt management plan. We help consumers trim expenses, develop a workable budget, lower debt payments and repay debts.
Help for debt and money problems
Whether you are buried in credit card or student loan debt or want to take charge of your financial future, The Village has the tools you need to successfully execute your financial action plan. We have been providing financial counseling and education since 1976 and are a member agency of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, the nation's oldest and largest credit counseling organization.
North Dakotans and Minnesotans can meet with an NFCC-certified financial counselor face-to-face at our Fargo office, by phone or via the web. For more information, or help in meeting your financial goals, call 1-800-450-4019, contact us online, or use our online financial counseling service.
Budget Counseling
A Village financial counselor will help you put together a plan to pay off your debt and make positive financial decisions. Your financial counselor will take you through an in-depth financial analysis, examining your income, expenses, assets and debt – and then will help you develop a financial action plan specifically suited to your situation.
Whether you are deep in debt, or just want to plan for the future, The Village has the tools you need to successfully execute your financial action plan.
For more information, or help in meeting your financial goals, call 1-800-450-4019, email us, or use our online financial counseling service.
READ MORE: How to Choose a Credit Counselor
Credit Report Reading Service
Most people avoid getting a copy of their credit report because it is difficult to read and the abbreviations don't make sense. Financial counselors at The Village can provide you with instant access to your report and will help you understand it. Call 1-800-450-4019 to make an appointment or contact us online.
For more information on credit reports, click on a link below:
Debt Management Plan
Credit lines over-extended? Not sure who to pay first? Borrowing from Peter to pay Paul? If this sounds all too familiar, you may be interested in our Debt Management Plan (DMP). The DMP can help you reduce your debt, provide relief through reduced interest and late charges, put an end to collection calls, and give you peace of mind.
In 2021, clients of The Village's Debt Management Plan paid off $1.96 million in debts! 90.4% successfully completed their plan!
How does it work?
If you and your financial counselor decide that the DMP is right for you, you'll together determine how much money is available, after monthly living expenses, to pay your creditors. We'll talk to each of your creditors and negotiate monthly payments. With some creditors we are also able to negotiate reduced interest and dropped late charges.
Then, you'll send one payment to The Village each month, and we'll pay your creditors. Your Village counselor will be available to answer any questions and help you meet your financial goals.
This program is available to residents of North Dakota and Minnesota, who also may use our online counseling service. If you live outside these two states, we can connect you with a certified agency in your area. Call 1-800-450-4019 or fill out our online contact form.
READ MORE: Frequently Asked Questions About the Debt Management Plan
The Village Financial Resource Center is a member of the National Foundation for Credit Counselors, Inc. (NFCC). NFCC agencies have helped tens of thousands of people regain control over their finances and repay their debts. In doing so, we've also earned the trust of creditors nationwide. And because of that trust, creditors are willing to work with our clients to make the job of repayment easier. One call from an NFCC agency and most creditors will stop the collection phone calls, letters, and legal actions giving you the chance you need to get back on track and regain your peace of mind.
Financial Coaching
Do you have financial goals, but can't seem to reach them? A Village financial coach will help you identify and follow through on the steps necessary for reaching your financial goals. Coaching works because you build a relationship with someone who keeps you accountable through frequent mini-contacts.
A Village financial coach will:
- Do an initial financial assessment of your situation.
- Visit with you to determine your financial goals.
- Create "to-do" lists directly tied to your goals.
- Determine check-in times.
- Follow up frequently by phone, email, or in person to document your progress and keep you accountable.
In addition, all financial coaching customers will be able to attend Money Management Education Series classes at no charge.
Contact The Village Financial Resource Center for more information or to schedule a financial coaching session.
Online Financial Counseling
The Village Financial Resource Center provides online counseling for those who are unable to see a financial professional at The Village's Fargo location. Begin the process by clicking on the link below, complete the financial questions, and submit the form.
After we receive your online forms, one of our certified financial professionals will email or call you with any questions we may have. Please allow up to three business days for our financial counselors to respond. The process continues with a combination of online and telephone communications.
If you live outside of North Dakota or Minnesota, please call before going through the online counseling process, as licensing requirements vary by state.
Get Started with Online Financial Counseling
Users must pay a $25 fee. The fee may be covered by your employer's Employee Assistance Program
This will NOT fulfill the requirements for court-mandated bankruptcy counseling.
For more information, call 1-800-450-4019 or contact us online.
Pre-marital Financial Counseling
How you spend your money is just one of the things on which you and your spouse will disagree. When couples discuss money, it's not uncommon for sparks to fly and for feelings to smolder. In fact, conflict over money is one of the leading causes of divorce. Most of the time, couples don't know what to expect out of marriage – especially when it comes to money.
- Who will pay the bills?
- How will they make buying decisions?
- How much debt do they each bring to the marriage?
- What are their spending habits?
- Are they spenders or savers?
The Village Financial Resource Center can help couples have these discussions before they say "I do." With a financial counselor, couples will develop a spending plan, discuss their values and goals, talk about the debt they bring to the marriage, check each of their credit reports for accuracy, and more. Cost of the session is $25. This includes a copy of your credit report.
Learn to Avoid These Signs of Financial Madness
Jeremy L. White in "Christian Financial Concepts"
- You keep separate personal bank accounts so you can each spend your money the way you please.
- One of you has credit cards, debt obligations, or investments without the other's knowledge.
- One of you has a collection or hobby that requires significant financial resources and the other is not fully supportive.
- You make significant purchases without consulting each other.
- You make significant purchases even when your spouse strongly objects.
- One of you has no idea where your monthly incomes goes.
- One of you has no idea of your total debts or assets.
- One of you does not earn a paycheck, but must ask for permission to spend money from the spouse who does earn a paycheck.
- You and your spouse assign certain debts and certain savings to each other.
- One of you refuses to be accountable to a budget or savings plan.
To visit with a Village financial counselor, call 1-800-450-4019 or contact us online.
Web-Based Appointments
Busy schedules, children in the home, lack of mobility and travel for work are just a few barriers people face in making an in-office financial counseling appointment.
A web-based financial counseling appointment can be scheduled at a variety of times and you will both see and hear your counselor in real time. (This differs from an online financial counseling appointment, also available through The Village Financial Resource Center, where you will only communicate with your counselor through electronic communications, and you will not have a set time for your appointment.)
Payment
Web-based financial counseling may be self-pay or covered by The Village Employee Assistance Program (EAP). The cost for a session is $25. In some circumstances, the fee can be waived. Payment can be made online prior to your session. Click here to pay >
The Process
To get started, contact us online. At the next screen you’ll be asked to provide us with some basic information so we can coordinate an appointment time between you and an NFCC Financial Professional, and email the necessary paperwork for you to complete and submit back to us. If we have any questions, we will be in touch with you via email.
Minimum System Requirements
The quality and speed of your web-based session will depend on the features you use, your personal computer and video hardware, and the bandwidth available to you in real-time.
- Windows 2000, XP or later; for premium visual experience, Windows Vista & 7 are preferred
- Pentium 4 or newer
- 512MB RAM available
- Broadband Internet access (DSL, Cable Modem, T1, etc.)
- DirectShow 8.1 or later compatible webcam
- DirectSound compatible audio input (headset preferred, otherwise microphone and speakers)
If we are unable to connect or get disconnected during a session due to a technological breakdown, we will attempt to re-establish the connection (we will contact you). If reconnection is not possible, we will need to reschedule the session.
Client Resources
Forms
The following documents are helpful for clients of The Village Financial Resource Center:
Make a Payment
Use our online form to securely pay for a financial review, credit report reading, or debt management plan set-up >
Tools
Financial Well-Being Scale >
Measure your financial well-being with this questionnaire from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Debt Monsters >
A simple 5-question quiz to understand your debt situation.
Money Articles >
Blogs written by Village financial counselors.
Money Topic Directory >
Links to important resources related to financial issues.
Debt Test
This seven-question quiz can help determine if you're headed to financial disaster. Answer yes or no to the following questions:
- Is your savings cushion inadequate or non-existent?
- Are you using credit cards for items you used to buy with cash?
- Are you at or nearing the limit on your credit cards?
- Are you unsure about how much you owe?
- Are you only able to make the minimum payments on your credit cards?
- Is an increasing percentage of your monthly income going to pay off debts?
- If you lost your job, would you be in immediate financial difficulty?
If you answered "yes" to two or more questions, you may be headed for trouble. Because debt problems often develop over time, you may not realize you are in serious trouble until it's too late. Call The Village Financial Resource Center now at 1-800-450-4019 or contact us online to get help in solving your financial problems.
Workshops and Classes
The Village Financial Resource Center offers a variety of workshops and classes, in person and online, to help you better manager your money and have a successful financial future.
Money Management Classes
The Village provides financial education through workshops, presentations in the workplace, and one-on-one. We offer several unique education programs designed to help you make changes in your spending habits and reach your financial goals >
Homebuyer Education Classes
Become a better homebuyer through homebuyer education. Learn more about the online options available in Minnesota and North Dakota >