Why Invest in a

Financial Wellness Counselor?

The Problem (and the Opportunity)

Americans are bleeding money on interest. Households now pay about $550–$570 billion per year in interest on mortgages, credit cards, auto loans, and other consumer debt—before a single dollar of principal is reduced. 

Credit cards alone accounted for $130 billion in interest and fees in 2022, and rates have stayed elevated since. If you carry balances, compounding is working against you. 

What Counseling Changes

Evidence-based financial counseling and coaching measurably improve outcomes:

• Lower interest costs & faster payoff. Nonprofit debt-management plans (DMPs) routinely cut credit-card APRs and eliminate junk fees. Money Management International reports a 76% average reduction in client interest rates and that DMP clients can become debt-free up to 7× faster than going it alone.
  
  

• Less debt, better credit. In a national study of 100k+ clients, Ohio State University researchers found NFCC-counseled households reduced total debt by ~$17,000 on average within six quarters and improved credit scores—meaning lower rates going forward.
  
  

• Randomized-trial proof. In a CFPB-sponsored RCT, consumers offered coaching increased savings, reduced debt (over $10,000 in one site), and raised credit scores versus controls. That’s gold-standard, causal evidence that coaching works.
  
  

How This Accelerates Early Retirement

Early retirement is a math problem: boost savings rate, raise risk-adjusted returns, avoid drag.

• Free up cash flow. Every 1% trimmed from APRs is permanent oxygen to your savings rate. Redirecting even $500/month of interest toward investing at modest long-term returns compounds into six figures.
  
  

• Behavioral alpha. Vanguard’s long-running Advisor’s Alpha work finds sound guidance can add ~3% in net annual value—primarily via behavioral coaching, tax/rules know-how, and smart withdrawal strategies. Morningstar’s Gamma research shows planning decisions can add ~1.5%+ “alpha-equivalent” in retirement income.
  
  

• Fewer costly mistakes. Coaching increases on-time payments, automated saving, and goal adherence—the exact frictions that derail FIRE timelines. (Shown in the CFPB RCT above.)
  
  

Your Return on Counseling (Illustrative)

Before: $35,000 in credit-card balances at 22% APR → ~$642/month interest.

After DMP + strategy: drop blended APR toward single digits, eliminate fees, and attack principal first. Free up hundreds per month for investing or accelerated mortgage payoff—pulling years off your retirement target. (The averages above reflect real-world outcomes, not idealized projections.) 

What an Experienced Counselor Adds

• Understand & structure: We guide you on how to intelligently budget your current finances and consolidate chaos into one clear plan—then keep you accountable.
  
  

• Evidence-based coaching: We use the same methods validated in independent RCTs to raise savings and lower debt.
  
  

• Holistic plan to FIRE: Debt strategy, cash-flow design, tax-aware investing, risk management, and withdrawal sequencing—tying day-to-day behaviors to your retirement number.
  
  

Bottom Line

• You’re likely paying far more in interest than you realize—hundreds of billions nationally each year.
  
  

• Counseling works: effective tackling of debt, faster payoff, higher credit scores, and higher savings—backed by large-scale studies and randomized trials.
  
  

• Guidance doesn’t just reduce debt—it pulls your retirement forward by increasing investable cash flow and avoiding costly behavioral errors.
  
  

Call to Action

Ready to stop funding banks’ profits and start funding your freedom? Book a consultation. We’ll map your interest drain, design your payoff path, and show your personal ROI for counseling—before you commit.

Sources

• U.S. BEA via FRED: Personal interest payments (Q2 2025 SAAR ≈ $567.5B).
  
  

• CFPB: Credit Card Market Report (press brief—$105B interest + $25B fees in 2022).
  
  

• Money Management International (2024 Annual Report): DMP outcomes (interest-rate reductions; payoff speed).
  
  

• NFCC/Ohio State: Sharpen Your Financial Focus outcomes (debt reduction; score gains).
  
  

• CFPB & Urban Institute RCT: Financial Coaching—A Strategy to Improve Financial Well-Being.
  
  

• Vanguard Advisor’s Alpha; Morningstar Gamma.

🌿 Service Tiers

Rapid Reset – $499 (one-time session)

Perfect for those who feel stuck or overwhelmed by debt and need a focused plan.

• 90-minute one-on-one strategy session
  
  

• Personalized debt-interest audit
  
  

• Credit-score improvement checklist
  
  

• Step-by-step plan to lower APRs and free up cash flow
  
  

• Follow-up progress check (email or 15-min call)
  
  

Ideal for: Anyone paying over $300 per month in credit-card interest.

Debt-Free Sprint – $995 (90-day program)

A structured three-month program to rebuild control and confidence.

• Everything in Rapid Reset +
  
  

• Custom consolidation & negotiation scripts
  
  

• 3 bi-weekly coaching sessions (virtual or in-person)
  
  

• Cash-flow tracker & savings automation setup
  
  

• Direct accountability for hitting monthly payoff goals
  
  

Average results: Clients cut interest by 50–75 bps, retire $10–20k of debt within 12 months, and raise credit scores 40+ points.

FIRE Blueprint – $1,495 (6-month comprehensive plan)

Your full financial-wellness roadmap—from debt freedom to early retirement.

• All features of Debt-Free Sprint +
  
  

• Detailed FIRE projection and retirement gap analysis
  
  

• Investment-allocation review and tax-efficient drawdown plan
  
  

• Behavioral-finance coaching to sustain long-term discipline
  
  

• Quarterly plan updates and goal recalibration
  
  

Average results: Boost savings rate 5–10 percentage points, advance retirement by 3–5 years.

💡 ROI Calculator (Sample)

Scenario

Current Situation

After Counseling

Annual Impact

Credit-card debt

$35,000 @ 22% APR

9% blended APR

$4,550 interest saved

Cash-flow freed

—

$380 per month invested @ 7%

$52,000 after 10 years

Counseling cost

—

$695 (Debt-Free Sprint)

> 7× ROI in 1 year alone

(All figures illustrative; based on Money Management International and CFPB RCT results cited above.)

⚙️ Value-Added Assurance

• No commissions, no product sales. Pure fiduciary-style advice.
  
  

• Evidence-based approach. Every recommendation aligns with CFPB, Vanguard, and NFCC research.
  
  

• Personalized accountability. You don’t just receive a plan—you have a coach who keeps you on track until your debt, credit, and savings trajectory align with your goals.
  
  

✨ Call to Action

Stop letting interest own your future.

Schedule your consultation. We’ll analyze your interest drag, design your payoff timeline, and quantify your personal ROI—before you invest a dime.