National Debt Relief Review [2024]: Does It Hurt Your Credit? (2024)

At the beginning of 2022, American households carried over $890 billion in credit card debt, and 8% of it was over 90 days late, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. If you’re among those beginning to feel overwhelmed by your debt balances, a debt relief company might be able to help.

National Debt Relief has a good reputation with customers and gets an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). In this National Debt Relief review, we dive into who this service is designed for and what sort of help it may be able to offer you.

National Debt Relief basics

What is National Debt Relief?

National Debt Relief was founded in 2009 to provide debt relief services to people struggling to make their minimum payments and feeling burdened by debt. Located in New York City, National Debt Relief has helped over 100,000 people become debt-free and has settled over $1 billion in unsecured debt.

National Debt Relief is accredited by the Better Business Bureau. It’s also a member of the American Fair Credit Council (AFCC) and the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA).

How does National Debt Relief work?

National Debt Relief is a company that negotiates debt settlements for borrowers. It can also help you find a debt consolidation loan, which can simplify debt repayment. Not sure about the difference between debt settlement vs. debt consolidation? Here’s how both work:

Debt settlement

Debt settlement is when your creditor agrees to settle your outstanding debt for a lump sum that might be less than what you owe. Rather than negotiating a settlement on your own, you could hire a debt settlement program like National Debt Relief to handle this so you don’t have to deal with calls or letters.

While the exact difference you’ll see from a settlement can vary, National Debt Relief says that it’s been able to reduce customer debt load by 30% to 50% on average.

Here’s how it works with National Debt Relief:

1. Free Consultation: You connect with a debt specialist and review your financial situation together.You’ll be able to discuss your debt relief options without any upfront payment obligations.
2. Create a personalized payment plan: The debt specialist will see if you qualify for a debt relief program. If you do, the company will create a plan that works for you. NDR will determine your monthly payment amount, which is often lower than the total monthly payments on your unsecured debts.
3. Start repaying: During the program, you will be advised to stop making monthly payments to your creditors; instead, payments are deposited in a separate savings account. NDR will start handling communications with your creditors. Once you have enough money stashed away in that account, National Debt Relief will try to negotiate a deal with your creditors for less than what you owe.

National Debt Relief charges a fee that’s 15% to 25% of the original debt amount, but it’s only charged at the end of the process if the company is able to get you a settlement. These types of programs typically last for 24 to 48 months. National Debt Relief does not charge any upfront fees.

One thing to keep in mind when pursuing any debt settlement is that it does come with some risks. Not making payments to creditors while negotiating a settlement will likely negatively affect your credit score.It's also not guaranteed that your creditors will be willing to work with National Debt Relief, so you may be contacted by debt collectors throughout the process or even potentially be sued by a creditor for an unpaid balance.

Also, the difference between your original balance and the settlement amount may be taxable. Speak with a tax professional if you have questions about how debt forgiveness might affect your tax liability.

Debt consolidation

Debt consolidation is when you use a new credit line or loan to pay off several other balances. This combines multiple different payments into one, making it easier to keep up with bills each month.

National Debt Relief doesn’t offer debt consolidation loans directly but can help you find a debt consolidation loan through its network of lenders. The application process may involve a credit check. Loan terms range from 24 to 60 months, and APR rates range from 6.25%-35.99% (as of May 31, 2023).

Using a debt consolidation loan with a lower interest rate to pay off other high-interest debt can lead to monthly and long-term savings. But unlike a debt settlement, what you owe doesn’t change when you consolidate debt; you still owe the same amount just under a new loan.

What debt can National Debt Relief help you with?

National Debt Relief can help you with different types of unsecured debt, such as credit card bills, personal loans and lines of credit, medical bills, collections and repossessions, business debts, and private student loans.

However, National Debt Relief cannot help with lawsuits, back taxes and IRS debt, federal student loans, utility bills, auto loans, government loans, home loans, and other secured debt.

What we like about National Debt Relief

• Customer-service focused: National Debt Relief aims to get you out of debt in the shortest amount of time possible, and its goal is not to have repeat customers. The company values transparency and compassion.
• Easy cancellation: You can cancel at any time, and there are no cancellation or penalty fees.
• 100% Satisfaction Guarantee: You don’t pay fees unless National Debt Relief is able to get you a settlement.
• Free money tips and resources: The National Debt Relief website has many articles that discuss personal finance topics, such as how to manage credit cards, how to pay off debt, how to start an emergency fund, and more. They also offer various financial calculators to help you stay on top of your finances.

What National Debt Relief could improve

• Launch an app: While there is an online portal, there isn’t a National Debt Relief app, and launching one could make it easier for customers to manage their accounts.
• Only unsecured debt is eligible:Unsecured debt is different from secured debt. Secured debts, or those with collateral attached, like home or auto loans, are not eligible for their debt resolution program.

What National Debt Relief customers are saying

Customer reviews on the Better Business Bureau website for National Debt Relief are positive for the most part, and it currently gets 4.57 stars out of 5. Many customers say that representatives are helpful, knowledgeable, and compassionate.

The most common negative complaint is related to fees and lack of clarity about how the process of paying off creditors works once there’s enough money saved in your settlement account. Before choosing to go with National Debt Relief, be sure that you’re aware of the cost and ask questions about the terms to make sure you’re comfortable with the process.

National Debt Relief customer service

If you’re considering National Debt Relief, you can call the phone number 800-300-9550 to speak with a debt relief expert Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to midnight EST and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. EST.

If you’re an existing customer, you can contact client services Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST at 888-660-7427. You can also check your online account at www.nationaldebtrelief.com or you can email service@nationaldebtrelief.com.

FAQs about National Debt Relief

Bottom line

When debt balances are growing and making payments becomes a struggle, it can be hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. While negotiating a debt settlement may not be the ideal scenario, it could help you clear your balances so you can get back on your feet.

If you’re not sure whether National Debt Relief is right for you, then Freedom Debt Relief is another company you might consider. Our head-to-head comparison of National Debt Relief vs. Freedom Debt Relief can help you see how their services line up.

Debt settlements are something that you can try to negotiate on your own for free. However, using a company like National Debt Relief puts experts on your side, and this could be an option if you prefer not to communicate with creditors directly.