I signed up my son for karate. Later, due to financial hardship, we had to cancel. I was told then that I could not cancel.
Apparently the electronic payment form I signed was actually a binding contract. This was not told to me during the singing. I thought I was singing a simple authorization to charge my credit card.
Neither the school nor the collection agency they use are willing to let me out of the contract. A binding contract, for a karate school. This is absurd. I strongly recommend not doing business with either of these institutions.

Run for the hills if you sign a contract with these people no matter how long it is. I'be been trying to cancel, early buyout, and just making sure I don't auto renew for weeks. They simply cannot answer any direct question. It boarder line humerous. They'll get someone immediatly when you call but they just make excuses every time. Here's a brief list of what you'll here; We'll call you back, Fax us (never answers), no no the fax works now, we don't have an email (yes they do), We never got your email..please fax your letter, can you call back in 2 hours, let us call you back, and many more... I'm not even kidding. No matter how much you may like your school refuse to sign with these people. It's companies like this that scare people away from contracts. I left another school who used ASF and it was night and day much better service. I've still yet to recieve any anwser or response after calling over 15 times.

Many people have slammed Educational Funding Company on this website. We own a martial art school and use this company. I have NEVER had a problem reaching an operator when I dial their main number. In addition, if you look on their website, you can see everyone's extensions. We have intervened in many of our member's cases and WE (the martial art school) have the final say over how a case is handled; not EFC. So if you want to slam someone, it should be the martial art school you signed up with.

Martial art schools are not the only ones to use agreements for tuition billing. In addition, by law according to your particular state, there are buyers rights to cancel clearly stated on the agreements. In several areas it clearly is written that the member's failure to complete training or change in their schedule does not relieve them of their duty to pay the tuition. The tuition is a lump sum that we allow members to pay over the course of 6 to 12 months in small payments. If a member moves more than 25 miles from the school (at least in CT) they are allowed to cancel the agreement. Members need to clearly read what they are signing before they sign.

Most good martial art schools will want to protect their repuation and will work something out that is mutually agreeable between them and the member in the event that someone wants to terminate an agreement. From a business perspective, we hold people to these contracts because it also teaches our young students that you finish what you start. You don't quit. You don't let a busy schedule push out healthy activity and you work on committment to yourself and your martial art instructor. You don't sign up for baseball, fully knowing you have already made a commitment to martial arts. You finish one obligation before you start another. These are important life skills. In addition, a martial art school will have only so much room in each class. We have to know who will be there and plan accordingly for staff coverage. Can you imagine a public school never knowing who may or may not be there for the month and trying to provide adequate coverage, materials and education?

The bottom line is before you enroll in a martial art school, regardless of who they use for a billing company, ask around and find out their reputation. If they have a good reputation in the community, you should not have any problems.

I started Kick Boxing Classes about 6 weeks ago - I did try twice a week for two weeks before I decided that I liked it.
At this point I was asking for pricing to sign up - one of the instructors said it would be $100 per month with a 30 day cancellation. For my next class I brought in a check and gave it to him.
Friday of last week I received a letter from EFC that they will be taking the amount out of my account every month now ???
I did try calling them right away on Friday (left message) as well as Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday... well I was getting edgy. I finally spoke with one of the supervisors "Raj" - he said he cant see anything in the system that I even called...I told him I NEVER signed a contract yet and how they get my information...he told me today at 1pm that he will retieve the information from my school and will email it to me by tomorrow - ha - that piece of document I want to see...
Second - I am trying to contact the responsible person at my school which I found out that he is travelling this week so no luck here.
After I read so many complaints about EFC I am worried actually... I have contacted my bank also.

My husband and I enrolled our 6 year old son in a nearby Karate school and at the time we don't remember signing any contract with this Educational Funding Company. But after almost 4 years, when we wanted to take a break, we were told that we have some contract with Educational Funding Company. I called the EFC and they refused my request.
They said we have signed a contract and the contract gets renewed automatically every year ???