National Debt Relief Review

National Debt Relief is a company that offers relief through a process known as debt settlement, which aims to help consumers get out of debt. With debt settlement, you'll set aside an amount of money in a savings account each month until you're able to "settle" your debts for less than you owe. 

You'll pay National Debt Relief a percentage of the debts they settle, but only after you get results. This company claims that, even after accounting for their fees, customers save between 30% to 50% of their original debt by the time the process is complete.

A free consultation can help you decide if debt settlement is right for you. 

Pros Explained

• No upfront settlement fees: With National Debt Relief, you only pay when you get results. Fees are charged as a percentage of debt that is settled, and only after the negotiation is completed. 
• Free consultation can help you compare your options: You can call National Debt Relief to speak with a debt counselor for free. This consultation gives you the chance to ask questions and find out if debt settlement is right for you. 
• Client portal lets you track your progress in real-time: Unlike some other debt relief firms, National Debt Relief has an online client portal that lets you oversee your program and track your debt settlement process at any time of the day or night. 

Cons Explained

• Fees can run as high as 25% of your settled debt: Some of the debt relief companies we independently studied charge fees at a lower percentage than National Debt Relief. 
• No mobile app available with the program: While National Debt Relief does have an online client portal, this debt relief company doesn't offer a mobile app that lets you track your debt settlement program on the go.

Types of Debt Addressed

National Debt Relief aims to help consumers pay off unsecured debt, which includes any type of debt that is not secured by collateral. Fortunately, this company has a debt qualifications page on their website where they explain which debts do and do not qualify. The main types of debt they address are highlighted below. 

Credit card debt

If you have credit card debt on a traditional credit card or a store credit card, National Debt Relief can help you settle for less than you owe. This applies to major credit cards like American Express, Visa, or Discover as well as co-branded cards from retailers like Kohl's or Sears.

Personal loans and payday loans

You can also negotiate and settle any personal debt you have, including personal loans from a bank or online lender or even payday loans. Installment loans can also qualify. 

Business debts

Business debts can also be negotiated and settled for less than you owe now. National Debt Relief says these loans must be unsecured, and they prefer to help negotiate debts for businesses that are already closed.

Unpaid medical bills

National Debt Relief can also help you pay less than you owe toward your medical bills. Negotiations can be successfully completed with doctors' offices, hospitals, and other medical providers.

Back rent

If you're behind on your rent, you may be able to negotiate the amount you owe in arrears. However, you can only negotiate this debt if you are no longer a resident.

Private student loans

You may also be able to settle debt tied to private student loans for less than your total balance. Note that federal student loans do not qualify for debt settlement.

Client Onboarding

Getting started with National Debt Relief requires you to call in for a free consultation. During this conversation with a debt counselor, you can talk over your situation and your finances, then find out how long your debt settlement process might take and how much you can save.

National Debt Relief states that you need to owe at least $7,500 to qualify for their program. You also need to be "several months behind in your payments" since creditors won't have an incentive to negotiate if you're up-to-date on your bills. 

Customer Service

One benefit of working with a debt relief company is the fact that they know debt collection rules and regulations inside and out. For example, National Debt Relief states their debt counselors and experts can help you navigate the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Fair Credit Billing Act, and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act as you settle your debt. 

This company offers email and phone customer service. When it comes to your free debt consultation, you can call in to speak with a counselor Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to midnight EST as well as Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Existing customers can reach out for phone assistance Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

National Debt Relief doesn't offer a mobile app or an online chat function, so there are fewer ways to reach out for help than some providers offer. However, their many excellent user reviews boast about a quick response time and willingness to help. 

Company Reputation

The debt relief industry has its share of scams, which is why it's important to research companies before you sign up for their services. One way to do this is through the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) database, which lets you search for user complaints among debt settlement companies.

This company has an average of 4.7 out of 5 stars across nearly 35,000 user reviews on Trustpilot.

Because of their excellent reviews and third-party rankings, National Debt Relief received some of the highest scores for company reputation in our independent study. 

Average Relief Amount

National Debt Relief states that the amount of money you can save varies based on a wide range of factors. However, most people save 30% to 50% off of their original debt amounts, and those savings are realized even after accounting for the fees you pay for your debt settlement program.

Average Time for Relief

Debt settlement through National Debt Relief should take between 24 to 48 months in total, which is average among other companies. The length of time it will take to complete your program can vary based on how much you owe, how much you can save each month and other factors such as how willing creditors are to negotiate. 

Cost

National Debt Relief says their average client pays a fee of 15% to 25% of the amount of debt enrolled in their program. However, this fee is only paid once results are achieved and debt has been settled for less than the owed amount.

Generally speaking, their fee percentage is on par with the industry average.

The Competition

We chose to compare top-rated National Debt Relief to Accredited Debt Relief, the debt relief company that scored the second-highest ranking in our independent study. Both companies received excellent rankings from Investopedia based on their customer service, company reputation, fees, and services provided. Further, they both offer the same program length of 24 to 48 months, and both offer a free consultation and fees that fall between 15% to 25% of your settled debts.

With that being said, National Debt Relief stands out due to its IAPDA accreditation. National Debt Relief also offers a helpful online portal that lets customers oversee their program and track their progress at any time of the day or night. 

Final Verdict

At the end of the day, there is no debt relief company we can recommend more than National Debt Relief due to its company excellence, cost and fees, and customer service prowess. This company scored an average rating of 4.63 out of 5 possible stars in our independent study, whereas the average company scored just 3.56.

If you have at least $7,500 in unsecured debt you hope to settle, you should reach out to National Debt Relief for a free consultation. There are no upfront fees required, and you can find out if debt settlement makes sense with no obligation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is National Debt Relief trustworthy?

Yes, while there have been scams within the debt relief industry, National Debt relief is a legitimate organization with high third-party ratings. On Trustpilot, the company has 4.7 out of 5 stars. If you do run into issues with National Debt Relief, you can submit a complaint to the FTC.

What is the downside of National Debt Relief?

National Debt Relief fees can be high, sometimes up to 25% of the settled debt. Additionally, the company does not offer a mobile app so you will have to use the online portal. It's also important to remember that debt relief can harm your credit score because, while in the program, you will not be making debt payments.

Does National Debt Relief give you money?

No, National Debt Relief uses a process called debt settlement. This helps consumers get out of debt by setting aside a certain amount of money each month to use to eventually "settle" debts for less than is owed. At the end of the process, you would pay the debt relief company a percentage of the debts settled.

How fast does National Debt Relief work?

Through National Debt Relief, settlements normally take anywhere from 24 to 48 months. This varies person-to-person, depending on things like the amount owed.

Methodology

Investopedia completed an independent study that compared more than 15 debt relief companies based on their customer service, their company reputation and rankings, product offerings, pricing, and transparency. We looked for debt relief companies that have positive reviews and customer testimonials, customer service accessibility, and the important information about their plans clearly posted online, as well as firms with excellent rankings from third parties.