Kena L.
Unconscionable Behavior & Zero Compassion for a Grieving Mother
Universal Accounting’s President, Roger Knecht, allows his administration to explicitly deny a documented hardship waiver to a grieving mother. I provided my four-year-old daughter's death certificate to their staff five days after her passing. They promised to 'take care of it,' but instead let a $3,400 bill rot and balloon to over $7,800 in collection penalties. Their collection agency, MG Credit, openly admitted in writing that they do not buy the debt and a write-off is entirely at Universal's discretion. Roger Knecht and his VP choose to tank the credit of a grieving mother over a program she hasn't logged into since her child died. This institution cares about nothing but predatory profit."
Response from Universal Accounting CenterJun 19, 2026
Universal Accounting Center extends its deepest sympathies to Ms. Nazaire for the tragic loss of her four-year-old daughter. We recognize that this was an unimaginable hardship, and we sincerely regret the pain she and her family experienced. We've reviewed your account and believe that the statement attributed to our employee, Jennifer Capener, on June 20, 2024, stating, "No worries we can take care of it after the funeral," was intended as an expression of compassion and a commitment to work with Ms. Nazaire after she had time to grieve. It was not intended as a promise to cancel her Student Enrollment Agreement or forgive the remaining tuition obligation. Our records show that Universal Accounting Center consistently worked with Ms. Nazaire throughout her enrollment: In January 2024, several months before this tragedy, we reduced her monthly payment obligation by extending her financing from 24 months to 36 months after she experienced financial hardship following the loss of her grandmother. Following the death of her daughter, we delayed collection efforts and continued reaching out with offers to discuss payment arrangements rather than immediately referring the account to collections. On June 16, 2024, we contacted Ms. Nazaire to discuss payment options after a declined payment. On August 16, 2024, we notified Ms. Nazaire that her account remained delinquent and advised her that if a satisfactory payment arrangement could not be reached by August 30, 2024, the account could be referred for collections. Despite that notice, Universal Accounting Center did not actually assign the account to a collection agency until June 19, 2025—approximately ten months later. During that extended period, we continued attempting to work with Ms. Nazaire before initiating collections. The Student Enrollment Agreement signed by Ms. Nazaire is a legally binding tuition financing agreement. Universal Accounting Center has both a legal and ethical obligation to administer those agreements consistently for all students. While we routinely work with students experiencing hardship by adjusting payment terms or discussing settlement opportunities, we do not have the authority to unilaterally cancel tuition obligations outside the terms of the agreement. Regarding the collection balance, Universal Accounting Center does not control the fees, interest, or reporting practices that occur after an account has been placed with a third-party collection agency pursuant to the signed agreement. Collection agencies administer accounts in accordance with their agreements and applicable law. We remain sympathetic to Ms. Nazaire's circumstances and continue to be willing to review reasonable settlement proposals through the collection agency. However, we respectfully disagree that Universal Accounting Center promised to cancel her enrollment or release her from the financial obligations established in the Student Enrollment Agreement. Universal Accounting Center believes it acted compassionately by extending payment accommodations, delaying collections for many months, and repeatedly attempting to work with Ms. Nazaire before referring the account for collection.