Accredited Debt Relief: 2023 Review
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At a glance
| Overall Score | 4.8 |
|---|---|
| Overview | If you’ve accumulated $15,000 or more in unsecured debt and are looking for ways to reduce what you owe, or consolidate monthly payments and eliminate debt more quickly, Accredited Debt Relief may be able to help. |
| Minimum debt required | $15,000 |
| Time frame | 12 - 48 months |
| Potential Debt Reduction | Up to 40% |
| Fees | No upfront fees |
Best for: quick results
Types of debt settled by Accredited Debt Relief
Only unsecured debts are eligible for Accredited Debt Relief’s programs. In other words, debts that are not attached to collateral like a home or a car. The company helps settle credit card debts, medical debts and payday loans. It does not work with federal student loans, mortgages or car loans.
Accredited Debt Relief pros and cons
PROS
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Reduced debt by up to 40%
Debt consolidation without a loan or bankruptcy
Tailored debt relief programs
CONS
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Fees of 15 to 25 percent of your debt
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There is no guarantee all debts will be resolved
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Minimum $15,000 in debt required
Debt relief qualifications
Founded in 2011, Accredited Debt Relief offers personalized debt relief programs and works to help customers reduce unsecured debt by as much as 40 percent. In addition to providing standard debt settlement plans, the company assists with debt consolidation, debt management and bankruptcy.
Accredited Debt Relief notes on its website that to be eligible for assistance debt must be unsecured and not have collateral attached. Acceptable debt includes credit cards, medical bills and payday loans. To qualify, you must be able to make monthly payments.
Services
Working with Accredited Debt Relief begins with an initial consultation during which one of its certified debt specialists assesses your finances and explains the various options available to help. If you choose to proceed, a customized plan is developed based on your goals, your total amount of debt and your budget.While plans are personalized, there are some general steps that apply across the board.- Start saving. You will be required to start making payments to a dedicated savings account. The money accumulated in this account will ultimately be used to pay off your debts.
- Stop paying. You will also be asked to stop making payments to creditors, stop communicating with creditors and cease using the lines of credit, loans or credit cards that you are seeking to have negotiated.
- Negotiators go to work. Negotiators from Accredited Debt Relief work on obtaining settlements for your outstanding debt. When a creditor agrees to a settlement, you will be contacted to approve the terms.
- Pay the creditor. The money accumulated in your dedicated account will go towards paying the creditor. After the creditor is paid, that debt is considered resolved.
Fees and penalties
Accredited Debt Relief does not charge any upfront fees. Rather fees are performance based and contingent upon reaching a favorable settlement with creditors. Any incurred fees range from 15 percent to 25 percent of debt balances at time of enrollment.
Credit score impacts
As with most debt relief organizations, you may see a temporary drop in your credit score when starting the debt relief program.
What we like and what we don’t like
Accredited Debt Relief carries a range of debt relief programs but does carry additional fees that other companies may not.Pros
- Reduced debt. It is possible to reduce your debt by as much as 40 percent when working with Accredited Debt Relief.
- Debt consolidation without a loan. Accredited Debt Relief allows you to address unsecured debt without having to secure a consolidation loan. This can often save you money as some consolidation loans come with interest rates of 21 percent or more.
- Tailored debt relief programs. The programs developed by Accredited Debt Relief can be customized or modified to fit your specific financial needs and monthly budget, making it easier for you to stay on track with the monthly payment program.
Cons
- Fees of 15 to 25 percent of your debt. While you only pay a fee if the company reaches a favorable settlement on your behalf, you will need to be prepared to pay a sizable fee for this assistance. The amount paid is based on your debt balances at the time of enrollment, not on the reduced debt amount negotiated on your behalf.
- There is no guarantee all debts will be resolved. Though Accredited Debt Relief says it can achieve resolution in most cases, there may be some creditors who refuse to settle, meaning you will still have to deal with those debts on your own.
- Minimum $15,000 in debt required. You will need a fair amount of unsecured debt in order to be eligible for assistance from Accredited Debt Relief.
Customer experience and reviews
Accredited Debt Relief has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, which is the highest score awarded. However, BBB ratings are not meant to be a guarantee of a business’s reliability. In addition, the letter rating does not take customer reviews into consideration. About 19 complaints were filed with BBB against Accredited Debt over the past three years, all of which have been closed.The company received an “Excellent” score from third-party ranking site Trustpilot, which ranks Accredited Debt Review 4 out of 195 best companies in the category of debt relief services. Of the 4,440 consumer reviews about the company posted on Trustpilot, 89 percent classify Accredited Debt Relief as “excellent” and 10 percent gave the company a “great” rating.How to contact Accredited Debt Relief
Accredited Debt Relief offers support over the phone or email seven days a week at 855-548-2365. Along with that, support can be found via the Accredited Debt Relief website where answers can be found on the FAQ page.
Accredited Debt Relief frequently asked questions
How Bankrate rates Accredited Debt Relief
Overall Score 4.8 Explanation Services 4.3 A high minimum debt amount lowers Accredited Debt Relief's score. Affordability 5.0 Zero fees until your debt is negotiated down and no monthly fees earn Accredited Debt Relief a great mark in affordability. Customer Experience 5.0 Accredited Debt relief has customer service seven days a week, a website that is easy to navigate and an FAQ page. Customer Satisfaction 5.0 There are no FTC complaints or unresolved CFPB reviews. Stability 4.0 Accredited Debt Relief was founded in 2011 and is accredited by the American Fair Credit Council. Methodology
To rate debt relief services, Bankrate considers 15 factors. These factors include minimum debt allowed, what fees are charged, whether there are unresolved complaints and if the company is accredited. Categories that the services are rated on include:- Services: Services were assessed based on minimum debt eligibility, types of eligible debt and whether or not the company provides free credit counseling.
- Affordability: Affordability was assessed based on associated fees and whether or not the company specifies money-back guarantee terms.
- Customer experience: Customer experience was assessed based on website usability and features, as well as app availability. Customer satisfaction and company reputation was assessed based on Better Business Bureau accreditation and reviews, as well as TrustPilot reviews.
- Customer satisfaction: Customer satisfaction is determined by assessing how many unresolved complaints there are with the Federal Trade Commission and Consumer Financial Protection Board.
- Stability: Stability was assessed based on how long the company has been in business and whether or not they maintain membership with a professional trade association.
Editorial disclosure: All reviews are prepared by Bankrate.com staff. Opinions expressed therein are solely those of the reviewer and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including rates and fees, presented in the review is accurate as of the date of the review. Check the data at the top of this page and the lender’s website for the most current information.