I am interested in starting a debt consolidation business in
California.  I am looking for research and resources around the debt
consolidation industry.  I am currently a small business owner, so I
understand setting up a small business from a state and federal law
and tax stand point.  I do not need help with forming a business
entity.  I am also not speaking of debt consolidation via home
refinancing.  I am speaking strictly of debt consolidation loans
secured via income or assets outside of refinancing residential real
estate.

My questions are specific to the debt consolidation industry and any regulations.

How does one provide debt consolidation services to customers?

Are there typical business structures and processes for:

1. reviewing a person's debt and creditors and qualifying the person
for a consolidation loan based on income/assets

2. finding an institution that will loan an amount equal to the
outstanding debt in one loan at a particular interest rate

3. negotiating or completing payoffs to the existing creditors

Does a debt consolidation company work as a broker for institutional
lenders that will lend out personal loans for debt consolidation
(similar to a mortgage broker, who qualifies individuals and then
places them with a bank/loan program for a fee?)

 If so - who are the top institutional lenders who specialize in debt
consolidation loans; and who have business to business account
executives who work with smaller debt consolidation firms/brokers to
collect debt loans/customers?

Do any licensing requirements exist for the state of California in
terms of corporate licensing or structure to legally handle debt
consolidation business?

Are there any resources (links, books, articles, etc.) that are
available to help potential start ups in the debt consolidation
industry?

Thank you in advance for your research on this matter!

It is often suggested that multi-part questions be posted as separate,
appropriately priced individual questions.  This will allow several
Researchers to have a chance at answering your questions and give you
a greater likelihood of receiving some answers.  You might read the
FAQs.
In the meantime, you might look at some of the very many websites that
can be found with:  debt consolidation
such as this one:
http://www.creditinfocenter.com/

The fact that this has become such a big industry and is so present on
internet suggests that people prefer to avoid face-to-face discussion
of their problem  - and also that there is a lot of competition.

This is just a free comment.  Only G-A Researchers, who have blue
names, can post an "answer" that would cost you the price of your
question.