NEWS RELEASE
June 29, 2006

For more information, contact:
Russ Hagen, Credit Counseling Coordinator
(800) 615-3022
www.chestnut.org/credit

CHESTNUT HEALTH SYSTEMS’ CREDIT COUNSELING PROGRAM APPROVED TO SERVE INDIVIDUALS FILING BANKRUPTCY

Bloomington, IL. Chestnut Health Systems’ Credit Counseling Program, with main offices located at 1003 Martin Luther King Drive in Bloomington, IL, has been approved by the United States Trustee’s office as a provider of credit counseling and debtor education.

The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 requires that debtors filing for bankruptcy under either Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 must complete credit counseling with an agency approved by the United States Trustee's office prior to filing bankruptcy. In addition, debtors must complete a debtor education course with a US Trustee-approved provider before the bankruptcy can be finalized.

Chestnut Credit Counseling Services provides classes by telephone or in person for bankruptcy debtors in the Central Illinois and Northern Illinois Judicial Districts. “This counseling allows debtors to explore other options besides bankruptcy, understand the basics of what happens in a bankruptcy, understand some of the consequences of bankruptcy and will provide them with budgeting skills and money management knowledge that will help them with future finances,” said Chestnut’s Credit Counseling Coordinator, David Hill.

Chestnut Credit Counseling is accredited by the Council of Accreditation (COA), is a member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) and operates under the IRS guidelines as a not-for-profit agency. Its goal is to provide services to consumers to help them achieve financial wellness through financial management counseling, financial education and, when appropriate, debt reduction services through debt management plans. All Chestnut’s credit counselors are certified by the NFCC. In addition to the Bloomington location, Chestnut Credit Counseling also has offices in Granite City, Joliet, Chicago, Oak Lawn, Des Plaines, Wheaton, Decatur, Peoria, Morris, Crete, Frankfort, and Kankakee, Illinois. For more information, visit Chestnut’s website at www.chestnut.org/credit or call 1-800-615-3022.