Credit counseling does not have a direct impact on your credit scores. Your NFCC-certified credit counselor cannot add or remove information in your credit reports, and will not perform a hard inquiry when reviewing your reports.Your counselor’s goal is to help you improve your credit and finances, and they can offer you personalized advice for building strong credit.
If you enroll in a debt management plan (DMP), however, your credit scores will be indirectly impacted by credit counseling. Many clients experience an initial decline in points at the beginning of their DMP, followed by an average increase of 100+ points over their first three years on the plan.