Accredited Debt Relief Review

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Accredited debt relief uses a process called debt settlement to help you get out of debt. With debt settlement, you’ll stop making payments on your credit cards and other bills and instead start putting money aside in a dedicated savings account. Once you’ve saved 40% to 50% of the amount of each debt in your account, Approved Debt Relief will work to settle your debts for less than you owe.

While the length of this process may vary, Accredited Debt Relief states that each program typically requires a 12- to 48-month commitment. You can also see your first listed debt settled within the first four to six months of your program, depending on your situation. Also, keep in mind that while this company charges a fee of 15% to 25% of each listed debt, you don’t pay anything until a settlement is agreed upon.

Since debt settlement requires you to stop making payments on credit cards and other bills, this process will damage your credit score. The fine print on the accredited debt relief website even makes it very clear that using debt settlement services “will likely negatively affect your credit.” They also indicate that you may be subject to collections or lawsuits from creditors or collectors.


Benefits explained

  • No upfront fees for debt settlement: You will only pay a fee when each of your debts is settled, which means there is no upfront fee to enroll in the program.
  • Free consultation and money back guarantee offered: You can speak with a certified debt specialist without any commitment. A money back guarantee is also offered, which allows you to cancel your debt resolution program at any time without penalty.
  • Excellent user reviews and A + rating with BBB: Accredited Debt Relief is accredited with the BBB. They have an A + rating and an average of 4.58 out of 5 stars out of over 150 user reviews on the platform.
  • The company’s website offers substantial information on debt settlement: Many debt relief companies offer rudimentary information about their products and services, but Accredited Debt Relief provides a solid source of information on debt settlement and how the process works.


Disadvantages Explained

  • Fees can reach 25% of your paid debt: While debt settlement fees can be as low as 15% of your listed debt, this company says some customers pay as much as 25%.
  • No mobile application or online customer portal: Where some debt relief companies offer a useful mobile app or customer portal that allows you to log in and monitor your debt resolution plan in real time, accredited debt relief does not offer these options.


Types of debts processed

Accredited debt relief aims to help you settle unsecured debt, which can include most types of debt that are unsecured. This means that they don’t help you pay off secured debts like a mortgage or a car loan, both of which are secured by an underlying asset. More information about the debts you can settle with debt settlement is highlighted below.

Credit card debt

One of the most common types of unsecured debt is credit card debt. Accredited debt relief can help you negotiate your current credit card balances and accrued fees, and then pay it off for less than you owe.

Personal loans and payday loans

You can also use debt settlement to negotiate and repay all of your unsecured personal loans, which would also include payday loans.

Outstanding medical bills

Debt settlement is also used to settle medical debts for less than what is owed. This is true if you owe overdue bills to a hospital, doctor, or other medical service provider.

Accredited Debt Relief says their services may work for other types of unsecured debt, and you can find out about specific debts you have during your free consultation. Also note that you can consolidate multiple types of debt into one debt resolution program.


Customer onboarding

Accredited debt relief begins the process with a free consultation that allows you to ask questions and determine if debt settlement is right for you. From there, your Certified Debt Resolution Specialist will help you determine how much you should start saving each month for your program, as well as how long the process will take.

Accredited Debt Relief says its program is for clients who have at least $ 10,000 in unsecured debt to settle.

If you have less than $ 10,000 in unsecured debt, you may want to consider debt settlement alternatives that won’t hurt your credit score. Options may include debt management programs, credit counseling, or debt consolidation loans.


Customer service

Accredited Debt Relief is a business whose primary goal is to navigate the debt settlement process over and over again. Accredited Debt Relief debt counselors can help you enforce debt settlement laws while protecting your rights, including those granted by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

As an Accredited Debt Relief customer, you can contact the company by phone seven days a week, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. PST. Many of their positive reviews on Trustpilot boast excellent customer service and knowledgeable staff.


Company reputation

The debt relief industry has many reputable companies, but it is also well known for having its share of scams. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to research companies to make sure they are trustworthy and able to deliver the services they promise.

One step you can take is to verify consumer complaints through the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) database.

While Accredited Debt Relief is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and they have an A + rating as well as mostly rave reviews on the platform.They also average 4.9 out of 5 stars out of over 3,000 reviews on Trustpilot, showing that consumers are mostly happy with their results.

If you have a complaint about the services of a debt relief company, you can file a complaint with the FTC or call 877-FTC-HELP.


Average amount of relief

Accredited Debt Relief asks its clients to save up to 40% to 50% of the amounts they owe in a dedicated savings account, which they will eventually use to settle their debts at a lower price than they are entitled to. of. With that in mind, it’s easy to assume that you can save up to 45% on your debt after you factor in the average settlement fee of 15% to 25%.


Average time to relief

Navigating the debt settlement process through accredited debt relief can take anywhere from 12 to 48 months. However, the firm says most of its customers need 24 to 48 months of commitment.


Cost

Accredited Debt Relief charges customers 15% to 25% of posted debts once a settlement is reached. This fee percentage range is comparable to industry averages. Also know that you will not be charged any fees until each of your debts is settled.


The competition

Accredited Debt Relief Freedom Debt Relief
Foundation year 2011 2002
Accreditation -Accredited with the American Fair Credit Council (AFCC)

– Accredited with the BBB

– Accredited with the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA)

– Accredited with the American Fair Credit Council (AFCC)

– Not accredited with the BBB Accredited with the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA)

Offered services Debt settlement Debt settlement
Customer service contact points Free consultation Customer service by phone and email Free consultation Customer service by phone and email Online customer portal
Costs No upfront fees Pay 15% to 25% of your debt No upfront fees Pay 15% to 25% of your debt
Average duration of the program 12 to 48 months 24 to 48 months

There are many reputable debt relief companies to choose from, but we’ve chosen to compare Accredited Debt Relief to Freedom Debt Relief, one of the most popular companies in the settlement industry. debt. These two companies charge roughly the same amount in fees (15-25% of your listed debt), and both companies can help you pay off and get debt free in 48 months or less. Both also have a significant online presence and a good reputation for quality customer service.

However, there are some areas where Freedom Debt Relief might make you stand out, the most important being their Customer Dashboard. With this online portal, you can log into your account and monitor your debt settlement process in real time.

Again, Freedom Debt Relief encountered some issues. Specifically, they were sued in 2018 on the grounds that they had not disclosed enough information to their clients and attempted to charge an upfront fee. Freedom Debt Relief settled this lawsuit with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in 2019, but only after paying $ 20 million in restitution and $ 5 million in penalties and civil costs.

This is part of the reason why accredited debt relief always came before Freedom debt relief in our independent study, which took into account important factors such as accreditation, reviews, government actions, customer service, pricing, etc.

Verdict

We are confident to recommend Accredited Debt Relief because of their customer service and corporate reputation, overall transparency, and third-party ratings and accreditations. If you have more than $ 10,000 in unsecured debt that you can’t seem to repay, you can get started by contacting that company for a free consultation. This way you can get all of your questions answered and decide if debt settlement is right for you.



How We Review Debt Relief Companies

Investopedia has compared over 15 debt relief companies to rank them based on factors like customer service and satisfaction, company reputation, pricing and transparency, affordability, and more. We gave top rankings to businesses that are honest about their fees and processes, as well as those that offered superior customer service options and multiple ways for customers to get help.

We also took a close look at user reviews from the Better Business Bureau and Trustpilot with the aim of finding out what past customers like and dislike about each vendor. Ultimately, we compared these companies in over 20 different categories to provide a basis for our internal ratings and rankings.



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