AICCCA Conference Examines New Bankruptcy Law July 14 - 16, 2005 - Washington DC - Hotel Washington


The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 has been signed into law and will become effective in October. The new law will affect the consumer credit counseling industry in many ways. At its Summer Conference in Washington DC, Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies, a leader in the industry's efforts to establish standards and practices to protect consumers, will bring together experts in the industry to look at this and other issues facing credit counseling agencies today.

Speakers from varied areas of credit counseling expertise will include:


• Travis Plunkett, Legislative Director, Consumer Federation of America — Plunkett will review the credit counseling provisions in the new Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005. Plunkett will speak on what to expect when the law takes effect in October.
• Mark A. Neal, Assistant U.S. Trustee, Executive Office for U.S. Trustee, U.S. Department of Justice — The new bankruptcy law requires consumers to seek credit counseling first. Neal will address the guidelines set by the EOUST to qualify an agency to be placed on the Department of Justice's list of certified agencies.
• Kevin Derbyshire, Business Consultant, Debt Management Solutions, TransUnion Credit Bureau — Derbyshire will discuss the Needs Based Debt Management Model, which is the first in the industry to score a counseling customer's risk when they first come in for counseling.
• Debra Kawecki, Senior Attorney, Internal Revenue Service — The IRS has been reviewing and auditing counseling agencies around the country. Kawecki will discuss what affect the audits will make in locating agencies that don't qualify as non-profit and how the IRS plans to handle the new policy.


"Conference attendees will work with these speakers and other industry experts to develop and refine approaches designed to assist the large volume of consumers who will be filing for bankruptcy under the new law when it takes effect this fall," said Dave Jones, president, AICCCA.

For more information visit www.aiccca.org and download the Summer Conference agenda.

Founded in 1993, Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies (AICCCA) is a national membership organization, established to promote quality and consistent delivery of credit counseling services. AICCCA and its members are focused on improved creditor relations, efficient processes and advanced technology to best serve clients and creditors. AICCCA members are independent nonprofit agencies that advocate for debtors, counsel millions of consumers annually nationwide and provide debt management services to consumers with excessive unsecured debt. For more information or to contact an AICCCA member office call (800) 450-1794 or visit www.aiccca.org.