Category: Parachute Services

Parachute Services, Student Loans

Parachute Credit Counseling Receives Major Grant From the Community Service Society to Join the EDCAP Network – Will Offer FREE Student Loan Counseling

Parachute Credit Counseling Receives Major Grant From the Community Service Society to Join the EDCAP Network 

Will Offer FREE Student Loan Counseling

At a Time When Long Awaited Student Loan Forgiveness is Blocked By a Lawsuit

Parachute Credit Counseling—formerly known as Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Buffalo (CCCS)—is now offering free Student Loan Counseling throughout the eight counties of Western New York. Right now, the national total student loan debt (including federal and private loans) sits at $1.75 trillion.

Parachute has operated the only Student Loan Counseling Program in Western New York for the past ten years. Student loan repayment has long been an obstacle, particularly for younger people. Forty-five percent of New York’s 18–35-year-olds carry student loan debt with an average balance of $28,950 and monthly payment of $460. It takes 20 years, on average, to pay off loans accruing $26,000 just in interest.

In welcome news, the Community Service Society of New York (CSS) awarded $100,000 to Parachute to join its Education Debt Consumer Assistance Program (EDCAP) Network. EDCAP helps New Yorkers with student debt to navigate the student loan repayment system and regain financial health. The New York State Department of Financial Services will oversee this grant which comes at “a critical time as borrowers navigate the complex student loan repayment system, try to benefit from the latest relief available, and prepare for payment resumption,” said Carolina Rodriguez, EDCAP’s program director.

President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan, which provides up to $20,000 in relief to millions of borrowers, faces legal challenges. The Supreme Court will hear arguments for and against this loan cancellation plan on Feb. 28, 2023. Although payments on federal student loans have been suspended since March 2020, with interest-free relief, they will resume later this year. Despite this uncertainty, other relief options and changes to existing programs will be available to help borrowers reduce or eliminate their debt. Now is the time for borrowers to seek free and unbiased counseling to understand their options.

Parachute is here to help! Our FREE Student Loan Counseling Program is staffed by experienced and certified financial counselors who are ready to assist residents of Western New York with their student loan issues.  Our new partnership with EDCAP, will allow us to serve even more people. Don’t struggle with student loans alone, take control of your finances and reach out to us for help. Call 716-712-2060 or visit our website www.parachutecreditcounseling.org for more information on our program and financial services.

Parachute Services, Taxes

FREE Tax Prep For Niagara County Residents Beginning January 31st; Locations in Lockport and Niagara Falls

Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Buffalo Changes Name to Parachute Credit Counseling, Will Continue to Serve as Guide to Financial Stability and Freedom from Debt

Parachute Credit Counseling—formerly known as Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Buffalo (CCCS)–announced today that they will launch the 9th year of their Niagara County Free Tax Preparation Program on January 31, 2023.

Parachute will use a “Drop Off” process with sites in Niagara Falls at Pinnacle Community Services, 1522 Main St. and in Lockport at the Lockport Library, 23 East Avenue.

Individuals must contact Parachute’s main office at 716-712-2060 to schedule a time to drop off their documents.  Certified, trained Parachute tax volunteers then prepare the tax returns remotely. Tax filers will be given a time to go back to the Drop Off site to review their return and provide their signature to e-file the return. They will receive a copy of the completed return as well. Those interested are encouraged to call now—716-712-2060–to set up their drop off appointment as appointments book up very quickly.

Parachute also provides additional free services to the community. Certified Financial Counselors work with people of all economic levels to improve their financial stability. The areas of greatest need include debt repayment assistance, credit education/repayment, credit report review, student loan assistance, budgeting techniques, small business development and housing/homeownership/foreclosure mitigation. Parachute also offers frequent Free Virtual Workshops on relevant, timely topics.

Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Buffalo (CCCS) rebranded to Parachute in December 2022, when they determined they needed a name that better reflected its power and potential.

“We wanted to change our name and logo to reflect our mission of making our clients feel empowered and not embarrassed about their debt,” said Parachute President & CEO Noelle Carter. “It takes courage to make that leap and we are here to be a parachute – a guide – on the journey to financial stability and becoming debt free.” 

Parachute provides the much needed lifeline for many, helping them to smoothly land on the other side of debt.

For more information on Parachute’s service offerings, from one on one counseling sessions to the path to a lifetime free from debt, contact Parachute at 716-712-2060 or visit Home – Parachute (parachutecreditcounseling.org).

Credit, Debt, Parachute Services, Uncategorized

Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Buffalo is Now Parachute Credit Counseling

Parachute Credit Counseling provides services to help clients “dare to be debt free”

BUFFALO, NY (December 7, 2022) – Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Buffalo announced it has changed its name to Parachute Credit Counseling to illustrate the agency’s commitment toward being a guide on their client’s journey to “dare to be debt free.”  Clients will still get the same quality service they have relied on for more than 50 years, but now with a new look.

“We wanted to change our name and logo to reflect our mission of making our clients feel empowered and not embarrassed about their debt,” said Parachute President & CEO Noelle Carter. “It takes courage to make that leap and we are here to be a parachute – a guide – on the journey to financial stability and becoming debt free.” 

Parachute Credit Counseling mission is to be the most trusted guide on an individual’s journey to becoming debt free. With the right tools and a strategically mapped out plan, clients can make a smooth soft landing on the other side of debt.

Parachute Credit Counseling is a nonprofit agency offering financial counseling, debt management, student loan counseling, financial coaching, credit report review, reverse mortgage counseling, pre-purchase homebuyer counseling, delinquency housing counseling, and small business credit counseling. The agency offers services in 18 states and the District of Columbia.

For more information about upcoming workshops and the services Parachute offers, visit the website at (insert new website here) or call 716-712-2060 to set up an appointment at any of the locations.

ABOUT PARACHUTE Parachute Credit Counseling, formerly, Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Buffalo, Inc. is a nonprofit agency established in 1965 to provide the best strategies to help people master their credit. Parachute is a member of the of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling and an A+ member of the Better Business Bureau. It is also a certified HUD counseling agency, licensed budget planner through the NYS Department of Financial Services, Executive Office of the U.S. Trustees approved for certified bankruptcy counseling sessions and accredited by Council on Accreditation of Services for Families & Children (COA), Inc. Parachute is based in Buffalo, NY, but offers services in Arkansas, Alaska, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia, Washington, & Wyoming.

Debt, Parachute Services, Student Loans

CCCS Launches New, FREE Student Loan Counseling Program; Joins the Education Debt Consumer Assistance Program (EDCAP) Network

CCCS Launches New, FREE Student Loan Counseling Program; Joins the Education Debt Consumer Assistance Program (EDCAP) Network

Will Help Local Borrowers Access Loan Forgiveness & Navigate Complex Student Loan Repayment System

Shortly after the federal government kicked off their student loan forgiveness application process, Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS) announced their newly redesigned, cost free Student Loan Counseling Program to assist local borrowers. While the government’s process is meant to be simple, the complexities of student loans often cause uncertainty, anxiety and frustration.

For the past ten years, CCCS has operated the only Student Loan Counseling Program in Western New York, helping thousands of besieged borrowers tackle what many felt was insurmountable debt. Student loan repayment has long been an obstacle for a significant percentage of the population, particularly for younger people. 45% of 18-35 year olds  currently have student loan debt in New York State. Right now, 2.4 million New York State residents have outstanding loans; a total cumulative debt of over $90 billion.  

In October, the Education Debt Consumer Assistance Program (EDCAP) invited CCCS to join their statewide network after the New York State Legislature increased their funding specifically designated for New York State residents with higher education debt. EDCAP–a program of the Community Service Society of New York (CSS)—and CSS work to make New York State more livable for people facing economic insecurity. CSS created EDCAP as an initiative to help New Yorkers struggling with student debt to navigate the student loan repayment system and regain financial health. In addition to CCCS, EDCAP selected nine other partner organizations throughout the state to serve all of its geographic areas. Seven of these organizations focus on legal services and the other organization is a United Way, indicating that CCCS offers unique and highly regarded services.

CCCS’ collaboration with EDCAP provides CCCS with much needed funding to deliver all student loan counseling services free of charge to WNY residents. EDCAP, in turn, gets a greater and more direct geographic reach into a targeted area. The NYS Department of Financial Services will oversee this project which comes at “a critical time as borrowers navigate the complex student loan repayment system, try to benefit from the latest relief available, and prepare for payment resumption.” EDCAP

A slew of information—including announcements of major, sweeping, long awaited changes to student loan forgiveness that require specific, precise action steps–has steadily flowed recently. We designed our Student Loan Counseling Program to guide borrowers through the complicated process that is frequently intricate and quite possibly thorny. Experienced, Certified Financial Counselors understand that many of those coming for help feel overwhelmed, are confused or just plain over it…and are ready to help all. Our new partnership with EDCAP will allow us to serve even more people. We urge everyone to take positive action that will promote financial stability…Contact us at 716-712-2060 or www.parachutecreditcounseling.org for help with student loans or for any type of financial issues. 

Parachute Services

CCCS Seeks Volunteers: Improve the Economic Stability of Niagara County Residents

CCCS Seeks Volunteers: Improve the Economic Stability of Niagara County Residents;

Seeking Tax Preparation Volunteers

Volunteers have 27% higher odds of finding a job after being out of work than non-volunteers

Make A Difference in Your Community—while adding skills to your resume

Between the pandemic and our country’s recent social justice reckoning, the financial insecurity faced by millions of Americans is finally being seen as a systemic issue in need of reform.

An emerging movement for economic justice calls for intervention from the government, employers and nonprofit organizations. Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Niagara (CCCS) and the Niagara County Financial Literacy & Empowerment Coalition are leading the efforts in Niagara County.

And while the work is complex and will take much time, CCCS and the Coalition are beginning part of this ongoing project by announcing that they will once again hold their Free Tax Prep/Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program in Niagara County with sites in Lockport and Niagara Falls.

Volunteers will help low income individuals and families file their taxes—and access eligible tax credits–saving them hundreds of dollars in unnecessary tax preparation fees (Average cost of tax prep=$300 and tax credits, like the Earned Income Tax Credit, ranges from $506-$6,269) and avoiding refund anticipation loans and inflated filing fees (typically about $200 per filer—this makes the cost of filing taxes $500 or more!).

CCCS and the Coalition announced today that they are seeking volunteers for a few hours per week February through April 15th2021 to help with its Free Tax Prep Program. Those interested in becoming volunteers are urged to register with CCCS by contacting Robby Dunn at robert.dunn@cccsbuffalo.org by November 30th.  There is no prior experience required. Volunteers will receive free training and be part of a program that helps thousands of households every year. We encourage all those who want to help the individuals and families who are hurting the most to join our team.

Parachute Services

Consumer Credit Counseling Service Announces Free Virtual Workshops

Consumer Credit Counseling Service Announces Free Virtual Workshops:
Protect your Financial Health During the Pandemic
Wednesday May 6th at 1:00 pm
Protect your Financial Health During the Pandemic–Special Workshop Just for Veterans
In Partnership with the Veterans One Stop Center of WNY/Sponsored By Bank of America
Thursday May 14th at 12:00 pm
Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS) has been experiencing the impact of the pandemic since its ugly beginning. Over the past six weeks, we have worked with hundreds of area residents from various financial situations who have been deeply affected by current events. The sudden and profound shock to an individual and to a family’s well being is overwhelming.
CCCS urges Western New York residents to come to us for help: through free financial checkups by phone and through workshops to be held during May.
CCCS has been providing free financial checkups since March and is now offering Virtual Workshops.
The Protect Your Financial Health During the Pandemic Workshop will be held on Wednesday, May 6th at 1:00 pm. It will include an overview of relief options and benefits with information about:
  • Economic Stimulus Checks
  • Unemployment Benefits
  • Community Resources & Benefits
  • Mortgage Relief Options
  • Student Loan Payment Options
  • Car Loans & Credit Card Payment Options
  • Protecting Your Credit Score
  • Emergency Budgeting Tips
To register for the workshop, you must email cccs@cccsbuffalo.org.
This workshop will also be held on May 14th BUT is limited to veterans only.
For those interested in a free financial checkup by phone, call 712-2060. A Certified Financial Counselor will help address your financial concerns during these extraordinary times and can assist in creating an emergency budget.  CCCS urges you to take some positive action that will help quell anxiety and potentially alleviate fears.
About CCCS
CCCS is a non-profit, full-service credit counseling agency, providing confidential financial guidance, financial education, counseling and credit repayment assistance to consumers since 1965.  CCCS of Buffalo helps consumers trim expenses, develop a spending plan and repay debts.  Counseling is available at our Main Office in West Seneca, in one of our Satellite Offices, by telephone and via Internet.