Accredited Debt Relief: 2025 Review

Written by
Michelle Clardie
Edited by
Aylea Wilkins
Updated on January 30, 2025
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Accredited Debt Relief is a BBB-accredited debt relief company offering debt settlement and debt consolidation services.

Under the debt settlement program, Accredited Debt Relief’s representatives attempt to negotiate with your creditors to reduce your debt, reportedly by as much as 45 percent. The debt consolidation program, on the other hand, offers to consolidate eligible debts into a single new loan. This simplifies your finances by replacing multiple monthly bills with one consolidated bill. It may even reduce your monthly payments.

Serving 30 states plus Washington, D.C., since 2011, Accredited Debt Relief is a well-established company with thousands of five-star reviews online. Between the satisfied customers and track record of successful debt management, Accredited Debt Relief is among today’s best debt relief companies.

Before enrolling with any debt relief company, it is important to understand the pros and cons of debt relief programs. While debt relief programs don’t typically charge upfront fees, their rates can be expensive. Debt relief programs can also decrease your credit score during enrollment, potentially harming your chances of qualifying for important loans (like mortgages to buy a home or an auto loan to purchase a new vehicle) for years to come.

Accredited Debt Relief
Best for customer satisfaction

Accredited Debt Relief

4.8
Bankrate Score

  • Founded in 2011, Accredited Debt Relief has helped over 700,000 customers manage over $2 billion in debt. In addition to debt settlement services, Accredited Debt Relief provides access to debt consolidation for customers who prefer consolidating all debts into a single monthly payment rather than attempting to negotiate debt amounts down.  

    • Minimum debt required: $10,000
    • Time frame: 24 to 48 months
    • Fees: usually 25 percent of the enrolled debt

Types of debt settled

Accredited Debt Relief offers debt relief services for unsecured debt. Unsecured debt is any debt not backed by collateral like a vehicle or home). 

Accredited Debt Relief explicitly promotes assisting with the following types of debt:

  • Credit card debt

  • Department store credit debt

  • Medical debt

  • Personal loan debt

Accredited Debt Relief is likely to support debt relief for unsecured small business debt and private student loans, but the website does not explicitly mention these.

Ineligible debts

Accredited Debt Relief acknowledges that “certain creditors and types of debts are not eligible” for its services. While the website does not specifically address ineligible debts, the following debt types are often excluded from debt settlement services:  

  • Auto loans

  • Debts from lawsuits or court orders

  • Government loans

  • IRS debt 

  • Mortgages, home equity loans or HELOCs (home equity lines of credit) 

  • Utility bills

  • Any other debt secured by collateral 

Pros and cons

Green circle with a checkmark inside

Pros

  • Strong customer reviews
  • No upfront fees
  • Debt consolidation options
Red circle with an X inside

Cons

  • Comparatively high fees
  • Not available in all states
  • The website does not detail its debt relief services well

Accredited Debt Relief services

Accredited Debt Relief offers the following services:

  • Free consultation to determine your eligibility and possible courses of action. This consultation includes discussing which debts can be enrolled, options for managing them, timelines for getting out of debt and associated fees. 

  • Debt relief plan tailored to fit your budget. If you choose debt settlement, you will make designated monthly payments to a debt-repayment savings account, established by Accredited Debt Relief, instead of continuing to pay your creditors. These contributions, which are based on your budget, will be used to negotiate lump-sum settlements with your creditors and cover Accredited Debt Relief’s fees. If you choose debt consolidation, Accredited Debt Relief will match you with a debt consolidation loan from an affiliate based on how much you can afford to pay each month.  

  • Creditor negotiations. If you choose debt settlement, Accredited Debt Relief’s representatives will contact your creditors in an attempt to negotiate your owed debt down. It is important to understand that creditors have no obligation to negotiate or settle. When a settlement on a debt is reached, Accredited Debt Relief makes the negotiated payment to the creditor from your designated savings account and takes its fee.

Fees and penalties

Accredited Debt Relief does not charge any upfront fees for debt settlement. Fees are performance-based and contingent upon reaching a favorable settlement with creditors. Accredited Debt Relief typically charges 25 percent of the enrolled debt. This means you will pay based on the amount of debt you enroll with the company rather than the amount settled. 

Your creditors may continue to add late fees and penalties to your accounts if you stop paying on those accounts while attempting a settlement (which is common practice when negotiating debt settlements).

Debt consolidation loans from Accredited Debt Relief’s affiliates have origination fees ranging from 1 to 6 percent of the amount financed and annual percentage rates (APRs) ranging from 4.9 to 35.99 percent.

Credit score consequences

As with most debt relief organizations, you may see a temporary drop in your credit score when enrolled in a debt relief program. In the case of debt settlement, consumers are often advised to stop making payments to creditors to incentivize creditors to settle. In the event of consolidation, this is because of the newly originated loan that replaces the credit lines with longer histories. 

The negative impact on your credit score may make it more difficult to qualify for new loans. So, if you plan to buy a home, purchase a new car or use student loans in the next few years, you may need to explore alternatives to debt settlement.

Risks of debt settlement

Debt settlement is tempting because it presents the possibility of getting out of debt without paying the full amount. However, there are critical risks of debt settlement to consider before enrolling in a debt settlement program:

  • Cost: By the time you have paid late fees and penalties to creditors plus fees to the debt relief company, you may end up paying more than you would have if you had stuck to your original debt payment schedule.  

  • Credit score decline: Settled debt can negatively impact your credit report for seven years, making it hard to qualify for loans or lines of credit.

  • No guarantees: Creditors are not required to settle or even entertain negotiations. Failure to repay your debt may lead to a lawsuit from a creditor unwilling to settle. 

  • Possible tax liability: Any portion of debt forgiven in a settlement could be considered taxable income by the IRS, meaning you may have to pay taxes on that amount. Consult a tax professional to see how this may affect you or find out if you qualify for one of the exceptions and exclusions to this rule.

  • Timeline: Debt settlement typically takes 24 to 48 months, followed by up to seven years of an impacted credit score. 

Before enrolling in a debt settlement program, consider other debt-relief options, such as credit counseling, debt management or debt consolidation options such as those offered by Accredited Debt Relief.

How to qualify for debt relief with Accredited Debt Relief

To qualify for the Accredited Debt Relief program, you need to:

  • Enroll at least $10,000 in unsecured debt

  • Show that you are experiencing a period of financial hardship

  • Live in one of the states (or Washington, D.C.) supported by Accredited Debt Relief

Accredited Debt Relief offers debt relief services to residents of AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, FL, ID, IN, KY, LA, MD, MA, MI, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NM, NY, NC, OK, PA, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, DC and WI.

Customer experience and reviews

Review information accurate as of January 29, 2025.

Many online reviews express appreciation for a positive experience with Accredited Debt Relief. Most reviewers report interacting with knowledgeable representatives who can explain debt relief options with patience and empathy. 

The most common complaint against Accredited Debt Relief in online reviews is excessive follow-up after the initial consultation. Several consumers who inquired about the service and decided against it were contacted multiple times after expressing disinterest.  

As you will find with any debt settlement company, there are a few negative reviews about how long the process takes and/or the lack of progress. As a reminder, debt settlement can take 24-48 months, and some creditors may refuse to settle (despite all efforts from the debt relief company). 

Accreditations

Accredited Debt Relief holds accreditations from:

  • The Better Business Bureau (BBB)

  • The American Association for Debt Resolution (AADR)

How to contact Accredited Debt Relief

Phone: 800-282-7186

Operating hours: 

  • Monday through Friday: 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. EST

  • Saturday and Sunday: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. EST

Address: 4370 La Jolla Village Drive, Suite 920, San Diego, CA 92122

Email: customerservice@acrelief.com

Social media:

Frequently asked questions

How Bankrate rates Accredited Debt Relief

Overall Score 4.8 Explanation
Availability 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.
Company reputation 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:

  • Availability: Availability is assessed based on the minimum debt balance required, types of eligible debt and whether the company provides free credit counseling.
  • Affordability: Affordability is assessed based on associated fees and whether the company specifies money-back guarantee terms.
  • Customer experience: Customer experience is assessed based on website usability and features, customer support options and hours of operation.
  • Company reputation: Company reputation is determined by assessing complaints with regulatory agencies, like the Federal Trade Commission and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
  • Stability: Stability ratings are based on how long the company has been in business and whether it maintains membership with a professional trade association.