Required Disclosure and Privacy Policy Forms
NOTE: If you have an impairment, disability, language barrier, or otherwise require an alternative means of completing this form or accessing information about our counseling services, please communicate with your DRS representative about arranging alternative accommodations.
PROGRAM DISCLOSURE FORM
Disclosure to Client for HUD Housing Counseling Services
Debt Reduction Services, Inc. (dba DRS or Money Fit) offers Housing Counseling services (Counseling).
Counseling clients will receive information on topics that prepare current and prospective homebuyers as well as renters and others to make better-informed housing decisions. They may also receive counseling about foreclosure prevention and loan modification processes and resources. Financial topics may also include money management, budgeting, understanding and building credit, preparing for a mortgage loan application, managing finances, and preventing and eliminating consumer debt.
DRS also offers the following services:
- A debt management program (DMP) for consumers struggling to pay their credit cards, collections, medical debts, personal loans, old utility bills, and past-due cell phone accounts;
- Credit counseling and debtor education certificates required during the bankruptcy filing process;
- Student loan repayment plan counseling and application services.
RELATIONSHIPS WITH INDUSTRY PARTNERS
Through such services, DRS has established financial relationships with hundreds of banks, credit unions, and creditors such as American Express, Bank of America, Barclays, Capital One, Chase, Citibank, Credit One, Discover, Synchrony, US Bank, USAA, Wells Fargo, and others.
No Client Obligation: The client is not obligated to receive, purchase or utilize any other services offered by DRS or its exclusive partners to receive financial education or housing counseling services.
Alternatives: As a condition of our counseling services, in alignment with meeting our client services goals, and in compliance with HUD’s Housing Counseling Program requirements, we may provide information on alternative services, programs, and products available to you, if applicable and known by our staff. Alternative DMP services include negotiating better repayment terms directly with your individual creditors, paying your debts as agreed, or, in extreme cases, filing for personal bankruptcy. Alternative credit and education services can be found through MyMoney.gov or the Jump$tart Clearinghouse of online financial education resources. Housing counseling alternatives can be found through HUD at www.hud.gov/findacounselor.
SEE ACCEPTANCE BELOW
HOUSING COUNSELING AND EDUCATION CLIENT AUTHORIZATION
This sheet is to inform new or returning clients about our services, records, fees, and limitations that may affect you as a consumer of our services. This form also discloses how we might release your information to other agencies and/or regulators. If you do not understand a statement, please ask a Debt Reduction Services (DRS) counselor for assistance.
- Services: DRS provides the following housing-related counseling services that include Homeless Assistance, Rental Topics, Pre-purchase/Homebuying, and Home Maintenance and Financial Management for Homeowners (Non-Delinquency Post-Purchase); Education courses that include Financial literacy (including home affordability, budgeting, and understanding use of credit), Predatory lending, loan scam or other fraud prevention, Fair housing, Rental topics, Pre-purchase homebuyer education, Non-delinquency post-purchase workshop (including home maintenance and/or financial management for homeowners), and other workshops not listed above.
Please refer to DebtReductionServices.org for details of our services.
- Limits: Our services are limited to our normal weekday business hours. We do not provide individual counseling or education services after hours or on weekends, although our education courses are available 24/7.
- Fees: We do not charge fees for our financial management counseling and education. However, if you use them, you may have to pay for our Debt Management Program, Student Loan Counseling, Bankruptcy Certificate Services, or certain financial education courses (homebuyer education, rental topics, fair housing, predatory lending, and post-purchase-non-delinquency including home maintenance and/or financial management for homeowners).
- Records: We maintain records of the services you receive, including notes about your progress or other relevant information to your work with us. You have the right to access and view your records by making a request to your counselor.
- Confidentiality: We respect your privacy and offer our services in confidence with the understanding that we may share such information with auditors and government regulators. Certain laws or situations may also lead to disclosing confidential information, such as those involving potential child abuse or neglect, threats to harm self or others, or court subpoenas.
- Refusal of Services: You have the right to refuse services without any penalty or loss.
- Disclosure of Policies and Practices: You will be provided with our agency disclosure statement.
- Sharing of Information: Sometimes we will need to contact other agencies or we may need to share your information, including your records, with other agencies or with regulators. We will do this only if you sign this form that gives us permission except for limited reasons; please see # 5 above for examples of such situations.
- Other: You have the right to be treated with respect by our staff, and we expect the same from you in return. We encourage you to always ask questions if something is not clear. We also encouraged you to express your thoughts and advocate throughout our services.
Acknowledging and accepting our disclosure statement, client authorization, and credit authorization is a requirement of continuing with this course. Enter your initials or type your name to match exactly the information entered above.
