Abacus Credit Counseling is a non-profit organization founded in 2007 by a team of bankruptcy attorneys and financial professionals, including CEO Laurie Ahart (attorney and Certified Personal Financial Counselor) and directors with extensive backgrounds in corporate law, nonprofit management, and financial risk management. The organization operates independently with no financial affiliations to banks, credit card companies, or collection agencies, ensuring advice is client-focused rather than profit-driven.
Abacus specializes in providing mandatory credit counseling courses required before and after bankruptcy filing. Their online and phone-based courses help consumers analyze spending patterns, understand debt mechanics, and learn financial planning fundamentals. Courses are designed by financial planning professionals and offered in partnership with Sage Personal Finance. The company explicitly does not offer debt management plans, keeping its scope focused on education and counseling.
The company distinguishes itself through its leadership team's deep expertise in bankruptcy law and finance. Laurie Ahart brings experience from Hogan Lovells LLP; director Henkie Barron specialized in corporate restructuring and Chapter 11 representation at Winston & Strawn; and director Tom Yu brings banking and risk management experience from Zions Bank and Union Bank. This attorney-and-professional foundation differentiates Abacus from typical credit counseling operations.
Abacus is ideal for individuals required to complete bankruptcy education courses or those seeking professional credit counseling without debt settlement pressure. The primary limitation is that detailed pricing, specific course hours, and comprehensive service descriptions are not fully disclosed on the website, requiring direct contact for specifics.
