Worked with a nonprofit counselorCredit cards$43,000
How Eva Paid Off $43,000 in Credit Card Debt So She Could Plan to Retire
Eva, from Kerrville, Texas, owed $43,000 on credit cards and feared she'd work the rest of her life to pay them. A nonprofit credit counselor helped lower her rates, and after seven years she was out of debt and looking toward retirement.
Video by KENS 5: Your San Antonio News SourcePublished March 7, 2023Breakdown updated September 15, 2026
“Delete debt with nonprofit credit counseling” by KENS 5: Your San Antonio News Source. We didn't make this video; it loads from YouTube when you press play.
Where Eva started
Eva paid for nearly everything with credit cards, and her balances added up to $43,000. She told KENS 5 she expected to be working the rest of her life just to pay them, even though she wanted to retire.
What Eva did
- 1
She added up her credit card balances and found she owed $43,000.
- 2
Once she decided she wanted to retire, she contacted Money Management International, a nonprofit credit counseling agency.
- 3
The agency helped reduce her interest rates and build a budget so she stopped relying on credit.
- 4
She kept making payments for seven years until the debt was gone.
- 5
She says her credit score rose about 100 points over that time.
What you can learn from it
A long plan can still finish
Eva's payoff took seven years, longer than the roughly four-year average the segment gave for the agency's clients. A slower pace still got her to a zero balance.
Struggling with minimums is a signal
The counselor in the segment said people who can barely keep up with minimum payments, and especially those who have started missing them, should consider getting help.
Lower rates send more to principal
When interest rates come down, more of each payment goes to the balance itself. The FTC notes creditors in a debt management plan may agree to lower interest rates or waive certain fees.
Expect a small monthly fee
The segment mentioned a monthly fee of about $24. Nonprofit credit counseling is often free or low-cost; ask about fees first, and get the price in writing as the CFPB suggests.
In their words
“I'll never get out of this.”
“Now I know that I can look forward to retirement and not have all that debt hanging over me.”
Before you copy this path
Eva's seven-year timeline, fee and credit score change reflect her own balances, creditors and budget. Someone already living on a fixed retirement income may face a tighter budget than she did while still working.
Watch out: You may have to stop using or applying for credit, and a plan can take 48 months or more. Ask about fees first.
Find a nonprofit counselorCommon questions
How long does a debt management plan take?
The FTC says a successful debt management plan requires regular, timely payments and can take 48 months or more to complete.
Source: consumer.ftc.govCan I keep using credit cards on a debt management plan?
Often not. The FTC says people on a debt management plan might have to agree not to apply for or use any more credit until the plan is finished.
Source: consumer.ftc.govWhat should I ask a credit counselor before signing up?
The CFPB suggests asking what services are offered, what the fees are, and what qualifications the counselors have. It also recommends confirming that creditors have accepted a proposed plan before sending payments.
Source: consumerfinance.govSources
By DebtCheckUSAEditorial Team. This is our summary of a video we didn't make, and nobody paid us to include it. It's one person's experience, not financial, tax or legal advice. Advertiser disclosure
More stories
All stories
Worked with a nonprofit counselor
How Tracy Paid Off $20,000 in Credit Card Debt Through a Nonprofit Plan
After a breakup left her covering rent alone, Tracy Schultz ran up $20,000 on credit cards and couldn't keep up with the minimums. A nonprofit debt management plan worked with her creditors on one monthly payment she could afford, and she paid it all off.
Worked with a nonprofit counselor
How Lavell Paid Off Five Maxed-Out Credit Cards With a Nonprofit's Help
Lavell's debt started with a card that came in the mail when he was a teenager and grew to five maxed-out cards. A nonprofit counseling agency set up a plan estimated at about five years and got one card's rate cut from 24% to 2%; he says he's now out of credit card debt.
Worked with a nonprofit counselor
Johnika's 49-Month Debt Management Plan: Paying Off $70,000 on Eight Cards
Johnika Dreher owed about $70,000 across eight cards after furnishing a new home. Her bank referred her to a nonprofit debt management plan that lowered her rates; she finished in 49 months, paying a monthly fee under $50.
Your story starts with the whole picture.
List your debts once and see your debt-free date and which options fit. Nothing you enter leaves your browser.