Housing Counseling Disclosures and Privacy Policy Notice
Financial Education Associates Housing Counseling Disclosure and Privacy Notice
Effective date: 10/1/2026
Version: V261001
1. Our Services
Financial Education Associates (FEA) provides first-time homebuyer education and counseling, landlord education and counseling, non-delinquency post-purchase education and counseling, and money management education.
We help clients understand their housing and financial circumstances, evaluate options, and make informed decisions. Individual counseling may include reviewing finances, preparing a household budget, developing an action plan, referrals, and follow-up.
Counseling does not guarantee loan approval, housing, financial assistance, or a particular outcome. FEA provides education and information, not legal advice.
2. Financial Relationships and Funding
FEA has financial relationships with the City of Boston and Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP), which subsidize class costs for clients participating in their housing programs or using their products.
FEA also receives grants to support general community programming. These grants are not tied to individual participants or referrals. Our current and past financial institution and mortgage industry funders are Dedham Savings, Eastern Bank, First Citizens Bank, M&T Bank, Needham Bank, Webster Bank, and Movement Mortgage.
FEA does not receive referral fees or compensation for directing clients to service providers. We also collaborate with community organizations to provide educational resources.
3. Your Freedom to Choose
You are not obligated to receive, purchase, or use any other services or products offered by FEA, its funders, or its industry partners to receive housing counseling.
You may choose your own lender, real estate professional, home inspector, and other service providers. FEA provides information about relevant alternative services, programs, and products.
Eligibility for a particular class subsidy may depend on participation in the program providing that subsidy.
4. Home Inspection Materials
If you are considering purchasing a home, please open and save both HUD materials before acknowledging receipt:
If you previously received both materials in an FEA class, you may acknowledge that prior receipt.
If you cannot access either document or need an accessible format, contact 888-839-0963 or info@money-classes.combefore completing the acknowledgement. We will assist you with receiving the materials and scheduling your appointment.
5. Fees and Fee Waivers
Client intake and FEA’s individual housing counseling sessions are free.
Certain education courses or programs, such as Framework, have separate fees disclosed before enrollment. Applicable fees are listed at money-classes.com/courses.
FEA provides housing counseling without charge to clients who cannot afford applicable counseling fees. Any education or counseling fee charged by FEA will not create a financial hardship for the client. Contact info@money-classes.combefore enrolling to request a fee reduction or waiver or assistance identifying a free alternative.
FEA does not charge clients for any portion of a service already paid for with HUD housing counseling grant funds.
Credit Reports
FEA does not order credit reports or charge credit-report fees. When a credit report is needed for counseling, please obtain a free copy from AnnualCreditReport.com and bring it to your appointment.
For assistance obtaining or accessing your report, contact info@money-classes.com before your session. Inability to obtain a credit report will not prevent you from receiving housing counseling.
6. Information We Collect and Use
FEA collects information needed to provide services, evaluate housing and financial circumstances, develop action plans, make referrals, follow up, and meet applicable reporting requirements.
This may include contact information, household and demographic information, income, expenses, assets, debts, credit reports you provide, and records of services received.
We obtain information directly from you and, when authorized, from outside sources.
7. Confidentiality and Third-Party Authorization
FEA protects your personal and financial information, including credit reports you provide. We use physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards and restrict access to authorized personnel. We require our client management systems and service providers to protect confidential information.
HUD may access client records for program monitoring and oversight. We may also disclose information when required by law.
Before sharing confidential information with a lender, creditor, real estate professional, funder, project partner, or other outside party, FEA will obtain your separate, specific authorization identifying the recipient, information to be shared, purpose, and expiration date. A funding or partnership relationship alone does not authorize access to your confidential information.
You may decline authorization or revoke it for future disclosures by contacting info@money-classes.com. Revocation does not affect information already shared under your authorization. Declining authorization will not prevent you from receiving housing counseling, although it may limit assistance requiring communication with an outside party.
Providing FEA with your credit report does not authorize us to share it with others. We share credit-report information only when legally permitted and consistent with applicable restrictions.
We do not sell or rent your personal information or share it for third-party marketing or lead generation. We may use or share aggregated information that does not identify individual clients.
We retain records according to applicable HUD requirements, grant conditions, laws, and legal holds.
8. Accessibility and Language Assistance
For interpretation, translation, an accessible format, a reasonable accommodation, help completing a form, or an alternative to electronic acknowledgement or online booking, contact 888-839-0963 or info@money-classes.com.
You do not need to disclose a medical diagnosis to request assistance. If you request in-person counseling and FEA cannot provide it, we will refer you to a participating agency that can.
9. Text Messaging Terms
With your separate consent, FEA may send SMS or MMS messages to the mobile number you provide about counseling appointments, reminders, scheduling changes, and service-related follow-up.
Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to unsubscribe or HELP for assistance. You may also contact 888-839-0963 or info@money-classes.com. After opting out, you may receive a confirmation message.
Texting consent is optional and is not a condition of purchasing services, receiving counseling, or booking an appointment. Providing your phone number or acknowledging this page does not enroll you in text messaging.
These terms cover service-related messages. Promotional or marketing messages require separate appropriate consent. Please notify FEA if your mobile number changes. Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.
10. Mobile Information Privacy
No mobile information will be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. Text messaging opt-in data and consent will not be sold, rented, or shared with third parties for their own purposes.
Information may be provided to messaging service providers solely as necessary to operate our messaging service, subject to confidentiality protections, or disclosed when required by law. These limited disclosures do not authorize another organization to text you.
11. Questions, Complaints, and Copies
For questions, a copy of this notice, assistance accessing services, requests concerning an authorization, or a copy of our Complaint Resolution Process, contact:
Financial Education Associates
184 Dudley Street, Suite 200
Roxbury, MA 02119
Phone: 888-839-0963
Email: info@money-classes.com
12. Acknowledgement and Separate Permissions
Acknowledgement confirms receipt of this Housing Counseling Disclosure and Privacy Notice and, for clients considering a home purchase, both home inspection materials provided above or previously received in an FEA class.
Acknowledgement does not authorize a credit report, disclosure of confidential information to outside parties, or enrollment in text messaging. FEA obtains separate permissions when applicable.
Housing Counseling Agreement
I understand that FEA provides confidential pre-purchase and post-purchase housing counseling after which I will receive an written Action Plan consisting of recommendations for handling my finances, possibly including referrals to other housing agencies as appropriate.
I understand that FEA is a HUD approved, non-profit housing counseling agency that is in partnership with my lender, servicer or insurer and may require that FEA share my information with my servicer to better assist me. I authorize my lender, servicer or insurer to share my information with FEA. Funding comes from HUD, lender partners, and private foundations.
I may be referred to other housing services of the organization or another agency or agencies as appropriate that may be able to assist with particular concerns that have been identified. I understand that I am not obligated to use any of the services offered to me.
A counselor may answer questions and provide information about bankruptcy but not give legal advice. If I want legal advice, I will be referred for appropriate assistance. While an attorney can make a recommendation to file bankruptcy, it is a personal choice based on individual circumstances.
I understand that in the event I am dissatisfied, I can request a copy of the Complaint Resolution Process, a copy of which is available upon request.
I understand that FEA provides information and education on numerous loan products and housing programs, and I further understand that the housing counseling I receive from FEA in no way obligates me to choose any of these particular loan products or housing programs.
I acknowledge that I received, reviewed, and agree to FEA’s Housing Counseling Agreement.