Accredited Debt Relief Review December 2024

Accredited Debt Relief: Top Features

Accredited Debt Relief offers a debt settlement program. You stop paying your creditors and deposit money into a designated account in your name. As soon as you deposit sufficient money into your account, they negotiate a debt reduction settlement with your creditors.

Established company: Accredited Debt Relief was founded in 2010. They operate in 32 states and offer services through phone consultations.

A variety of unsecured debt: Accredited Debt Relief has a recommended minimum enrollment of about $10,000. They specialize in credit card debt, medical/hospital bills, and store card debt. Like other debt settlement companies, they do not negotiate secured debt such as mortgages, auto loans.

Some industry accreditation: Accredited Debt Relief is an accredited member of the industry group, The American Fair Credit Council (AFCC), accredits Accredited Debt Relief.

Offers a short program: Accredited Debt Relief debt settlement program is built around 12 - 48 monthly payments. The 12-month payment plan is a very aggressive program and requires that you make the monthly payments so that they can rapidly negotiate your debt.

Free consultation: They offer a free debt consultation program to review your financial situation and see if you are a good match for their program.

No upfront fees: They claim to offer a money-back guarantee; however, like other reputable debt settlement companies, Accredited Debt Relief does not take any upfront fees.

Competitive fees and results: Like other debt settlement companies, Accredited Debt Relief does not offer guaranteed results. They claim to charge about 15-25% of the enrolled debt. Savings vary, and after paying back about 50% of the enrolled debt and fees, total savings is between 25-32%.

Important Considerations: While not unique to Accredited Debt Relief, these are essential things to keep in mind when looking for a debt settlement company. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions people ask Accredited Debt Relief:

Does the program lower my credit score?: The Accredited Debt Relief debt settlement program is not based on your credit score. They note that many clients come with damaged credit due to late payments and high credit utilization. They focus on settling your debts quickly so that you can start rebuilding your credit.

Do I need to pay taxes on unforgiven debt?: You need to report any forgiven debt over $600. In the case of insolvency, the IRS has special rules that may exempt you from paying taxes. Always speak to a certified tax preparer or a CPA about taxes.

Will creditors sue me?: They note that creditors may continue to pursue collecting the debt, sell to a third party or possibly file a lawsuit. Accredited Debt Relief advises blocking unwanted calls. They are not lawyers nor offer legal advice. However, they recommend that you contact their service department.

Can I keep my credit card?: You need to discontinue using credit cards that are enrolled in the program. In any case, since you stop making payments, creditors will usually close your accounts. Speak to your debt consultant about keeping open at least one credit card for emergency use.

Accredited Debt Relief: Qualifying for a debt relief program

Accredited Debt Relief offers a debt settlement program to help consumers struggling with their bills. Similar to other debt relief companies, here are their major requirements:

Financial hardship: Associates relies on your certification that you are in financial difficulty. They work with you before and during the program to substantiate your financial hardship. ccredited Debt Relief works with customers who generally have at least $10,000 in unsecured debt and face financial hardship.

Behind in payments: To qualify for a debt settlement program, you need to be at least several months behind in your payments. Creditors generally won’t negotiate if you are making your payments on time.

Ability to make a monthly payment: You need to make a monthly payment to the program. Accredited Debt Relief builds its program around a 12 - 48 period. If, for example, you owe $10,000 in credit card debt, expect to pay about $208 per month for a three-year program versus minimum payments of about $250. A one year program would require much higher payments, close to $625.

Sufficient debt to warrant the program: The recommended amount of debt to enroll with Accredited Debt Relief requires is at least $10,000 in debt.

Accredited Debt Relief - Customer service and customer satisfaction

Accredited Debt Relief offers a free consultation via the phone. They also provide phone service to existing customers. They operate six days a week.

You can track your account and progress through email communications. They do not offer an online dashboard, mobile app, nor chat service.

Accredited Debt Relief has an A+ rating with the BBB. They have a very high consumer review rating (4.99/5.0) with TrustPilot.