The economy has felt on shaky ground for a long time. From inflation to large question marks concerning global trade to a challenging job market, you may be one of the many who find themselves under considerable debt. Do you have a plan to handle it?
There’s no shame in asking for help. The best debt relief companies can be exactly what you need to eliminate your financial burden—and the stress that comes with it. Just remember that debt relief companies should typically be a final option, as pursuing this route can have devastating (though in the grand scheme of things, mostly temporary) effects on your credit.
Below are Fortune’s picks for the seven best debt relief companies to consider when looking to settle or consolidate your debt. Especially if you’re burdened by a substantial amount of high-interest credit card debt, these companies may help you reach better financial footing.
Best debt relief companies of January 2026
Company details checked Jan. 22, 2026
National Debt Relief
Founded in 2009, National Debt Relief has helped 1.3 million clients eliminate their debt. It’s available to those in 45 states and territories and has IAPDA and ACDR accreditations.
National Debt Relief
| Trustpilot customer rating | 4.7 |
| Accreditations | IAPDA, ACDR |
| States and territories available | 45 |
at National Debt Relief
- Year Founded: 2009
- Company Headquarters: New York, NY
- CEO: Alex Kleyner
Why we like this company
National Debt Relief is one of the most reputable and well-established debt relief companies in the U.S. While it negotiates directly with creditors to reduce your debt, it also offers debt consolidation through partners. That’s not something you’ll find offered by every debt relief company.
When you sign up with National Debt Relief, you make payments into a Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) insured savings account. Once this account has built up enough money, NDR uses it to begin negotiating your debt relief with your creditors. Funds only leave your account once you’ve approved the negotiated amount.
What you should know
With National Debt Relief, you won’t pay anything upfront. You only pay once your debt is settled—up to 25% of the total amount. The fee amount is built into the monthly payments you make.
Freedom Debt Relief
Freedom Debt Relief is a juggernaut among debt relief companies, with more than 1 million customers since its founding in 2002. It’s settled a whopping $20 billion in debt.
Freedom Debt Relief
| Trustpilot customer rating | 4.6 |
| Accreditations | IAPDA |
| States available | 41 |
at Freedom Debt Relief
- Year Founded: 2002
- Company Headquarters: San Mateo, CA
- CEO: Andrew Housser
Why we like this company
Freedom Debt Relief has an incredibly strong reputation in the industry—and its nearly 50,000 Trustpilot reviews are a testament to its ubiquity and success. The company mainly focuses on debt settlement by negotiating directly with creditors to reduce your debt. But similar to NDR, it offers access to debt consolidation loans through its partners.
What you should know
Freedom Debt Relief doesn’t charge you upfront fees, but it does state that you’ll pay an average of 22% of your settled debt. It won’t collect a settlement fee until a debt is negotiated and you approve the settlement offer.
J.G Wentworth Debt Relief
Headquartered in Chesterbrook, PA, in 1991, J.G. Wentworth has settled $2.2 billion in debt from more than 150,000 customers.
J.G. Wentworth Debt Relief
| Trustpilot customer rating | 4.8 |
| Accreditations | IAPDA, ACDR |
| States and territories available | 31 |
at J.G. Wentworth
- Year Founded: 1991
- Company Headquarters: Chesterbrook, PA
- CEO: Randi Sellari
Why we like this company
You won’t find many companies offering debt relief that are as old as J.G. Wentworth. That speaks to the company’s experience, customer trust, and success. Along with this comes strong connections to creditors—which means it may have more leverage than a debt relief company with less experience.
What you should know
You must have at least $10,000 in debt to qualify for help from J.G. Wentworth. Its services are available in just 30 states—fewer than the typical company on our best-of list. That said, its settlement fee range is lower than many competitors at 18%-25%. With an average of 43% of debt settled, you might expect a potential savings of up to 25%.
Americor Funding
Americor Debt Relief was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in Irvine, California. It has helped over 500,000 consumers resolve more than $3 billion in debt. It specializes in debt resolution and consolidation.
Americor Funding
| Trustpilot customer rating | 4.8 |
| Accreditations | IAPDA, ACDR |
| States available | 47 |
at Americor Debt Relief
- Year Founded: 2009
- Company Headquarters: Irvine, CA
- CEO: David Norris
Why we like Americor Debt Relief
Americor Debt Relief can potentially negotiate a settlement of up to 50% of your debt. Again, Americor doesn’t get paid unless it can settle your debt, so it’s in its best interest to work out the best possible deal for you. It only gets paid after it reaches a settlement agreement that you’re happy with.
What you should know
Americor Debt Relief charges a performance-based fee that ranges from 14% to 29% of the total amount of your debt enrolled. This amount will depend on your total amount enrolled and the negotiated settlement. All of your monthly payments factor in Americor’s fee.
Accredited Debt Relief
Headquartered in San Diego, and founded in 2011, Accredited Debt Relief has helped more than 1 million clients resolve more than $3 billion in debt. Its main focus is debt consolidation and settlement services.
Accredited Debt Relief
| Trustpilot customer rating | 4.8 |
| Accreditations | IAPDA |
| States and territories available | 30 |
at Accredited Debt Relief
- Year Founded: 2011
- Company Headquarters: San Diego, CA
- CEO: Shawn Syndergaard
Why we like Accredited Debt Relief
As a top option on our list, Accredited Debt Relief offers debt consolidation. With loan terms of four to 84 months, Accredited Debt Relief’s consolidation options range from $1,000 to $100,000. Of course, it also has settlement options that can result in customers paying up to 55% less (before fees).
What you should know
Accredited is only available in 30 states and territories. That’s less accessible than its competitors. You’ll also pay a fee that on average comes to 25% of your settled debt. Because Accredited Debt Relief uses a success-based fee structure, you won’t pay anything upfront, and you’ll only pay once it has negotiated a settlement successfully with your lender.
Pacific Debt Relief
Pacific Debt Relief was founded in 2002 and is based in San Diego. It has helped thousands settle over $500 million in consumer debt and specialize in debt settlement services.
Pacific Debt Relief
| Trustpilot customer rating | 4.8 |
| Accreditations | IAPDA, ACDR |
| States and territories available | 49 |
at Pacific Debt Relief
- Year Founded: 2002
- Company Headquarters: San Diego, CA
- CEO: Sierra Izzard
Why we like Pacific Debt Relief
When you sign up with Pacific Debt Relief, you receive a dedicated account manager to guide you through the entire debt settlement process from start to finish. You won’t pay any fees unless debt settlement is successful. To get started, you can sign up for a free consultation where a certified debt specialist will review your financial situation and outline personalized options for reducing your debt.
What you should know
Pacific Debt Relief advertises the possibility for up to 50% of your debt settled. To qualify for help, you must have at least $10,000 in unsecured debt. Of course, you’ll pay a settlement fee—up to 35% of the total enrolled debt. As with other debt settlement companies, it opens a savings account for you to deposit your payments into, and this fee factors into your monthly payment.
Century Support Services
Founded in 2003, Century Support Services has since helped over 250,000 clients settle more than $2 billion in debt.
Century Support Services
| Trustpilot customer rating | 4.6 |
| Accreditations | IAPDA, ACDR |
| States available | 49 |
at Century Support Services
- Year Founded: 2003
- Company Headquarters: North Huntingdon, PA
- CEO: Tim Detisch
Why we like Century Support Services
As a company established in the early 2000s, Century Support Services has exhibited a long track record of stability. It’s received a large number of awards over the years for its successes. Century offers a fee refund of up to $500, as well—something you don’t see everywhere. You’ll even get a $250 bonus when you refer friends who enroll.
What you should know
Century Support Services settles an average of 43% of your debt before fees. After fees, you’re looking at a savings of around 16%—meaning you can expect to pay a whopping 27% in fees.
What to know about debt relief
Debt relief is for those who are struggling with unmanageable debt payments. It generally comes in two forms.
Debt settlement
With debt settlement, a debt relief company will negotiate the total amount of eligible debt you owe. Debt relief companies will advise you to stop making minimum payments on your loans which drives lenders to the negotiating table. This obliterates your credit score—but it can be an effective tool to get out of debt when there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. Think of it as a second-to-last resort (with bankruptcy being the last resort).
At this time, you’ll often be set up on a monthly installment plan, paid to the debt relief company.
And, while you can expect significant damage to your credit score in the short term, it should eventually fade. Settled accounts typically stay on your credit reports for seven years from the date of your first missed payment.
But, be aware debt settlement is not a guaranteed success. Creditors aren’t required to negotiate with you.
Debt Management Plan
Unlike debt settlement, a debt management plan (DMP) does not negotiate to lower your total debt. Instead, the debt relief program negotiates to lower your interest rate. It then combines your various monthly payments into one installment. Pay towards the DMP each month, and the debt relief company will pay your lenders.
A DMP doesn’t tank your credit score like a debt settlement will; you aren’t asked to intentionally let your accounts slip into delinquency. However, DMPs typically require that you close any account that you’d like to roll into your payment plan. This can adversely affect your score by reducing your average age of account history and potentially raising your credit utilization.
Bonus: Debt consolidation
Debt consolidation is not strictly a “debt relief” option, but it’s offered by some debt relief companies, like National Debt Relief, in partnership with affiliates. Debt consolidation combines your debts into one monthly payment. This can result in lower interest rates and a lower monthly payment—particularly if much of your debt is from multiple high-interest credit cards. It depends on factors like your credit score and the loan term you choose.
This is an entirely new loan. It’s something you can achieve yourself, in fact, depending on the state of your credit score. Your credit won’t be adversely affected in the same way, as you aren’t required to stop making loan payments or close credit cards.
What kind of debt do debt relief companies cover?
Debt relief companies typically cover unsecured debt—that is, balances that aren’t backed by an asset (think mortgage, auto loan, or personal loan that requires some sort of security deposit).
Here’s a look at common types of unsecured debt.
Credit cards
Often the biggest culprit of crippling debt is credit cards. They generally come with high APR that makes it difficult to eliminate a large balance, as so much of your monthly payment goes toward interest.
Personal loans
A personal loan is an installment loan that gives borrowers a lump sum upfront to fund a large purchase like a home renovation or an emergency car repair. Interest rates are often lower than a credit card, but its equal monthly payments until paid off can strain your budget for years. Unlike a credit card, your payments won’t become more manageable as your balance decreases.
Medical bills
You may not think of a medical bill as an unsecured loan, but expenses such as hospital visits, surgeries, prescriptions, and other medical services absolutely qualify as the debt isn’t backed by collateral.
Private student loans
Even though private student loans are unsecured, there are still steep repercussions if they go unpaid—including potential wage garnishment.
Payday loans
These short-term, high-interest loans are often predatory in nature. In rare cases, some people feel they are useful for those that need a simple advance on their next paycheck. But if you’re not 110% confident you can pay off the loan immediately, you could find yourself paying a staggering 300%+ APR. We recommend avoiding these in essentially all cases.
Utility bills
Any unpaid utility bills, such as electricity, gas, or water, are usually considered unsecured debt. If you default, your property won’t be seized—but your utility services can be shut off.
Pros and cons of debt relief companies
Pros
- Lower the amount of debt you owe
- Get out of debt faster
- Potentially more manageable monthly debt payment
Cons
- Devastating to your credit score
- Large fees fees
- You must pay taxes on forgiven debt
How to choose a debt relief company
There’s no shortage of debt relief companies. Narrowing down the one that can best help your situation may seem daunting. Use the following attributes as your compass, and you’ll be able to quickly narrow down your options:
- Availability in your location: Most debt relief companies aren’t available in every state. Make sure your area is eligible before you waste time researching a company that can’t help you.
- Accreditation and credentials: There are illegitimate companies who prey on people desperate for relief, so start by checking accreditation. You can know you’re not being scammed if a company is part of the IAPDA, ACDR, NFCC, or FCAA, as companies with these credentials are required to adhere to industry standards and ethical practices.
- Positive customer reviews: Companies with positive reviews (and plenty of them) are your best bet. You can read the experiences of others to help you decide if an option suits your needs. This is perhaps the best litmus test as to the effectiveness of a debt relief program.
- Transparent (and acceptable) fee structure: The best debt relief companies will clearly explain the fees associated with their program—and they won’t ask for upfront payment before delivering results.
Alternatives to debt relief programs
A debt relief program is typically for those who see no other way to pay off their debt. Before you potentially damage your credit score with a debt relief program, consider the following alternatives.
0% intro APR credit cards
Some credit cards offer an interest-free window for an introductory period toward purchases and/or balance transfers. Depending on the card and its intro offer, you might get up to 24 months of 0% APR. If your credit score is in good enough shape to be approved for a credit card with a sizable balance, this could be a great way to escape high-interest debt and pay down what you owe. But, if your credit is poor or fair, you probably won’t qualify for these cards.
Debt snowball or avalanche programs
The debt snowball method is a repayment strategy that prioritizes paying off the smallest balances first. The debt avalanche method targets the highest-interest debt first. These are done on your own, without any outside assistance. If your debt problem can be conceivably solved simply by tighter budgeting, these are good strategies to follow.
Credit counseling
Nonprofit agencies offer credit counseling for free or at a low cost. They can help you figure out your budget, negotiate lower rates with creditors, and set up a repayment plan that fits your situation. They don’t reduce the amount you owe, but they can help you figure out how to make your repayment more affordable. And they might be able to help you with a Debt Management Plan. Look for counselors associated with the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) or the Financial Counseling Association of America (FCAA) to ensure legitimacy.
Hardship programs
Most credit card issuers offer hardship programs for those who are experiencing temporary difficulties, such as a job loss or medical emergency. These can sometimes reduce interest rates, waive fees, or temporarily defer payments.
Hardship programs don’t directly hurt your credit score. But an issuer may require that you close your account, which can affect things like credit utilization and the average age of your accounts.
Selling assets or downsizing
Selling things that aren’t absolute necessities can be a great way to pay down debt (think unused property or one of your vehicles). And downsizing to a smaller living arrangement can help reduce your monthly expenses and free up money to throw toward your balances.
Side hustles
Sometimes the only answer is to increase your income. Taking side jobs, freelancing, or doing gig work like driving for Uber or delivering through Instacart can help you make extra payments toward your debt.
Our methodology
To make our selections for the seven best debt relief companies, Fortune identified what we think are the most important elements that make debt relief customer friendly. We selected the top options by weighing the following factors:
- Trustpilot ratings (30%): Customer feedback, both in terms of average rating and volume of reviews, is the most important feature of a debt relief company. We looked at Trustpilot data to gauge the trustworthiness and popularity of each contender.
- Average settlement fees (25%): Anyone looking for debt relief should be focused on how much it will cost them to reduce their debt.
- Accreditations (15%): There are several relevant accreditations that debt relief companies can have. Those badges indicate the debt relief company is trained properly to offer you sound advice on how to manage or reduce your debts.
- Nationwide availability (10%): A debt relief company is only valuable if you can actually take advantage of its program. The vast majority are not available in every state. Our methodology favors the most accessible companies.
- Max repayment term (20%): The longer a repayment term, the lower your monthly installment should be—thereby making your payment more manageable.
Frequently asked questions
Does debt forgiveness hurt your credit?
Yes. The impact debt forgiveness has on your credit score varies on your overall credit history and other factors. But when debt is settled for less than the full amount, it is reported to credit bureaus as such. This tells future lenders that you didn’t repay the full debt as agreed upon.
How much does debt relief cost?
Debt relief comes with settlement fees that are often between 20% and 25% of your settled debt, depending on the company.
Is debt relief worth it?
Debt relief may be worth it as a last resort when you are confident you cannot repay the debt you owe. It’s sometimes possible to negotiate down your own debt and interest rates, but having an accredited debt relief program advocate for you can help your cause, as they have relevant experience and knowledge that you likely do not.
What types of debt qualify for debt relief?
Unsecured debt typically qualifies for debt relief. This can include credit cards, personal loans, potentially even medical bills and private student loans.
What is the difference between debt relief and debt consolidation?
Debt relief refers to settling your debt for less than you owe or working with a company to lower your payments and/or interest rates by using them as a middleman. Pay monthly installments to a debt relief company, and they negotiate with your lender and make payments for you. Debt consolidation is simply combining multiple debts into one payment through a new loan, often resulting in a lower monthly payment. It’s generally much less detrimental to your credit score than debt relief.
