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National Debt Relief Reviews

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About National Debt Relief

National Debt Relief is one of the largest debt settlement companies in the U.S. Founded in 2009, National Debt Relief negotiates with creditors to reduce how much you owe on unsecured debts such as credit cards, personal loans, medical bills, private student loans and collections. It offers personalized plans to help you resolve debt, along with support from dedicated debt specialists.

Visit www.nationaldebtrelief.com
Pros
  • Free consultation with debt coach
  • Free debt relief quote
  • Numerous accreditations
  • Professional and responsive customer support
  • Easy enrollment process
Cons
  • Fees can reduce overall savings
  • Not available in all states

Helpful Reviews

Orlando, FL
Verified purchase
National Debt is a good company trying to help people. It just is a slow process. They should be the company to give you the loan things could go faster. And not to have a saving account.

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Sierra Vista, AZ
Verified purchase
I was pleased with the expediency of National Debt Relief in making settlements with my three credit cards. It took exactly a year, which was great that they made settlements with...

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What is National Debt Relief?

National Debt Relief is a debt settlement company founded in 2009 and based in New York. It works on behalf of clients to negotiate lower payoff amounts with creditors, helping people resolve unsecured debt.

Most debt settlement plans are completed in 24 to 48 months, depending on the amount of debt and how quickly clients can fund settlement offers. Its debt specialists are certified through the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA), and the company follows standards set by the Association for Consumer Debt Relief (ACDR).

National Debt Relief is available in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and select U.S. territories.

National Debt Relief at a glance

How National Debt Relief works

National Debt Relief doesn’t assume your debt or make payments directly to creditors. Instead, it negotiates with creditors to reduce unsecured debts so you pay less than the full balance. Here’s what the process typically looks like:

  1. The process begins with a free consultation to review your financial situation and available options.
  2. After you approve a personalized plan, National Debt Relief’s experts work to secure settlements on your behalf.
  3. You’ll make monthly deposits into a dedicated account to pay for these settlements.  

Savings vary by client and depend on completing the program by settling enrolled debts. National Debt Relief states that those who finish the program typically save about 25% after fees over two to four years, but results aren’t guaranteed.

During the debt settlement process, your credit score will likely decrease. Many debt settlement programs require you to stop making payments to creditors while negotiations are underway, which can lead to missed-payment marks, delinquent accounts and collections activity appearing on your credit report.

However, some consumers see debt settlement as an alternative to bankruptcy and may be able to rebuild their credit over time after completing the program and paying off enrolled debts.

Not all debts qualify for settlement, and some clients may not complete the program due to financial challenges. There may also be tax consequences, and settling debt can impact your credit.

How to sign up for National Debt Relief

  1. Visit National Debt Relief’s website and click “Apply.” Fill out a short questionnaire about your financial situation.
  2. Schedule a free consultation with a debt specialist.
  3. Review and approve your personalized debt relief plan.
  4. Start making payments into your dedicated savings account to fund settlements.

National Debt Relief requirements

To qualify for National Debt Relief, you must:

  • Be able to make a monthly payment into a settlement fund
  • Owe more than $7,500 in unsecured debt
  • Be going through a financial crisis with no quick end in sight (such as recent job loss, divorce, death of a spouse or unexpected hospital or medical bills

National Debt Relief services

National Debt Relief’s primary service is debt settlement assistance. It helps clients settle unsecured debts such as credit card debt, medical bills and personal loans by negotiating with creditors.

In addition to debt settlement, National Debt Relief offers free tools and resources to support financial management, including budget-planning worksheets, a debt calculator and consultations with debt specialists. The initial consultation is free and intended to help you determine if you are a good candidate for debt settlement services.

National Debt Relief costs

National Debt Relief’s initial consultation and quote are free. If you enroll and the company successfully settles your debt, you’ll pay a fee equal to 15% to 25% of the total enrolled debt, which is typical for the debt settlement industry. There are no upfront costs or sign-up fees; you only pay after a settlement is reached. The exact cost depends on your total debt amount and the terms of your program.

How National Debt Relief affects your taxes

Like with other debt settlement companies, using National Debt Relief can affect your taxes. When a creditor forgives part of your debt, the IRS typically treats the forgiven amount as taxable income. For example, if you settle a $10,000 debt for $6,000, the remaining $4,000 may be considered taxable income and reported on Form 1099-C.

You can sometimes avoid paying taxes on forgiven debt if you qualify as insolvent, meaning your total debts exceed your total assets. National Debt Relief recommends speaking with a tax professional before filing to determine whether you’ll owe taxes on any settled accounts.

FAQ

Can National Debt Relief hurt my credit score?

Yes, National Debt Relief can affect your credit score. Debt settlement often lowers credit scores because missed or late payments may be reported during the process. This is common in debt settlement but is usually seen as a better alternative to bankruptcy. National Debt Relief doesn’t provide credit repair, counseling or advice on improving credit scores.

What are the risks of using National Debt Relief?

Debt settlement can lower your credit score, especially if accounts become delinquent during the process. Interest and fees may continue to accrue until a settlement is reached, and not all creditors may agree to negotiate. National Debt Relief warns that settled debts may be considered taxable income and doesn’t guarantee results or assume your debt.

How long does National Debt Relief take?

National Debt Relief states that it typically takes 24 to 48 months to pay off enrolled debt.

What types of debt can National Debt Relief help with?

National Debt Relief assists with unsecured debt, including credit card debt, medical bills, personal loans and some other unsecured debt types. It doesn’t handle secured debts, like mortgages or car loans, and it doesn’t cover certain student debts.

Can National Debt Relief stop creditor calls?

No, National Debt Relief can’t directly stop debt collection calls. Some creditors may call less once negotiations start, but it’s up to the collector. You can stop calls yourself by sending a written cease-communication letter.

Will I owe taxes on forgiven debt?

In most cases, yes, you’ll owe taxes on balances forgiven by debt settlement companies, including National Debt Relief. The lender who forgives your debt will send you a Form 1099-C.

Exceptions are sometimes made for those who qualify as insolvent — meaning those who have debts exceeding their total assets. To qualify for this exemption, you must fill out IRS Form 982.

Does National Debt Relief charge upfront fees?

No, there are no upfront fees with National Debt Relief. You won’t pay until a settlement is reached. Once that happens, you’ll pay a fee equal to 15% to 25% of the total enrolled debt.

How does National Debt Relief compare to bankruptcy?

Debt settlement through National Debt Relief is not as severe as bankruptcy, but it still has an impact on your credit score. Bankruptcy has the potential to eliminate more debt, but it has longer-lasting consequences on your credit.

What states is National Debt Relief not available in?

National Debt Relief is not available in Connecticut, Oregon, Vermont, West Virginia or Wisconsin.

Still have questions?

Is National Debt Relief legit?

Yes, National Debt Relief is a legitimate debt settlement company. The company has agents certified through the IAPDA and is an accredited member of the ACDR. National Debt Relief was also selected as a Buyer’s Choice Award winner by ConsumerAffairs.

National Debt Relief is one of the largest debt settlement providers in the U.S. and has helped thousands of consumers resolve unsecured debt. It offers free consultations and debt relief quotes, and you won’t pay up-front costs or sign-up fees.

While National Debt Relief is a legitimate company, debt settlement still comes with risks. Settling debt can affect your credit score. Some creditors may refuse to negotiate. Consumers should carefully review program details and compare all debt relief options before enrolling.

National Debt Relief Reviews

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    Verified purchase
    Customer ServiceContract & TermsPriceOnline & AppStaffBillingEase of UseRatesHonesty & Transparency

    Reviewed July 21, 2026

    When I looked NDR up, I called to ask for information, and I liked the person that I spoke with was very upfront. I said, “I think I'll go with you because I needed help.” Also, when I looked on the website, it showed those who were able to complete the program and other happy customers. The majority of people had pretty good experiences. 

    The enrollment process was okay. It was a little bit confusing at first, because at that point, I was swimming and losing water. So, I needed something to do. But they were really nice. They helped me out, and that made it easy for me. The rep worked it through and said, "Okay, we've got this. And this is what we're gonna do.” Then he was saying, "Okay, we need this information. We need to have this sent to us.” I was able to get all that together, fax all the information in the different companies that I had payments to. It worked out pretty easily at first. It was just a little bit for me, ‘cause I couldn't actually see the process. We were just talking about it. And I'm more of a visual person. But that was okay. The rep I worked with explained it. He was very patient with me and went over every little bit, exactly when things were gonna come out, when it was gonna do this.

    I really liked the program because as I put money in, it got up to a certain point. The main thing I liked was that I could go on those websites that I owed money to, those companies, and I could put in a phone number for them to call other than calling me. Two companies would keep calling me. I said, "I've asked you to please call them. They are my representative to pay off this debt.

    One was Best Buy, and they were ugly. ‘Cause I said, ”I don't wanna not pay the bill. I'm just going through a company to help me.” It was really beneficial to have a phone number I could give them, and they could talk to them. That was the most helpful to me.

    The second most helpful thing was that NDR worked out a budget for me that was good for me. When an offer came through, they said, “We're gonna do this much.” It was really nice, because most of it I was able to take. But then some of them said, “Okay, can you give this much more money a month for three months? And then it'll go back down.” I can budget that in. It wasn't all of a sudden, “Oh, you have to have this right now.” It just worked out really nicely.

    I appreciated the way the program was interested in my welfare. That I still had money for medicine, shelter, clothes, the basic needs. That was really helpful, and being able to have that money taken out and being used appropriately. I did not think the fees were extraordinary, ‘cause I figured they were doing a lot of work. They’ve got a lot of people to pay. So, to me, the whole program was beneficial.

    I would tell others to do it as well because they're gonna benefit in the long run. It was a tremendous weight off my shoulders. The person that I talked with first told me my credit score was gonna go tank really low, and it did. But I knew it was gonna come out of that eventually. It was gonna get better. I was gonna get all this paid off. I could show that these things were paid, not just written off as a bankruptcy. I think it also made me smarter to only use what money I had, not money that was on a credit card.

    It's a very good program. They’re upfront with everything, and they are honest. And when I called to ask a question, even if it was something that maybe to them was simple, I wasn't treated like that. It was always something, “Okay, let me see. How can I help you understand this?” Or if I was in a little bit of trouble, they’ll say, “How can we help you with that?” I really appreciated it.

    They were also easy to use. I could send a message if I needed to. I found calling was better for me ‘cause I could talk to a person and talk out what my question was, or if I was scared about something, like when I got the suit. I was like, “What do I do? What do I need?” They said, “You don't need to do anything. Just send us the paperwork. We'll take care of it. That's what we're here for.” Even the lawyers were great. They reached out to me when I had a question about what they were emailing.

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      Verified purchase
      Contract & TermsCoverageTechPunctuality & SpeedStaffBillingLoan ProcessRatesTimeliness

      Reviewed July 13, 2026

      Mr. Jon Carlos **, was the most professional, thorough, accurate, respectful, quick, thoughtful, and easy to understand gentleman I have ever worked with. Mr **, quickly pulled up my credit report file and had me verify all listed debts and said it would be wise to write them down as he spoke them. I followed his instructions and he was right. He then said the credit card debts under $500.00 would be left out until a later time if I need to incorporate them later. This again was brilliant because he allowed me to keep for emergency five credit cards (which I will pay off very quickly). I would not have thought of that. He asked me all pertinent questions regarding NDR loan approval, and listened to how I lost $47,000.00 at a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon's office.

      It was a non-refundable contract I signed for services I never received for not earned legal and medical fees. I used 28 credit cards to prepay for services I never received. For two years, the monthly payments on 28 credit cards totaling $47,000.00 has forced me to work three fulltime jobs which I am still doing. The income I earned that went to the monthly credit card payments put me into a new tax bracket. My 2025, Federal Income Tax Bill is $6,800.00. I start a monthly payment program with the IRS on August 15, 2026. They will take $700.00 out of my account on the 15th of each month. My monthly payments to NDR is going to be taken out of my account on the 1st and 15th of each month.

      Mr. **, listened to my situation and got me low bi-monthly payments in the amount of approximately $325.00 twice a month for five years with no hidden interest or legal fees. Mr ** explained to me that the NDR company negotiates for settlements at a lower than amount owed to creditors fashion that fosters all payments paid in full to each creditor as they are paid allows for all fees to be paid at that time for each creditor respectively, as each are paid. The structure of the payoffs includes me each time as Mr ** carefully explained to me so that I know and approve when each credit card creditor is being paid after all agree to the final settlement amount.

      The unpaid cards, as Mr. **, further explained, are maintained by Global Banking wherein the monthly payments I make goes into this general account and the credit card debts are managed by the Global Bank and NDR. I kept my credit in tact and in good standing and Mr De La Rosa had me approved within minutes. I can pay off my loan early without penalty or deposit larger payments each month. I feel like Mr. **, covered all areas to perfection.

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      Verified purchase
      Customer ServiceRefunds & PayoutsStaffBilling

      Reviewed July 13, 2026

      National Debt Relief has a great program. The only thing that was frustrating about the whole thing was they said they could consolidate all my debt, but they couldn't do that. American Express is a separate entity and they do not deal with third-party individuals like National Debt Relief. So, my debt was not able to be resolved with American Express. It's still out there and I'm wondering what's going to happen. It's already been a written off, so I don't know what I should do. American Express doesn't help. Other than that, I graduated from National Debt Relief's program. I made my payments on time and I did what I had to do. I was quite surprised to received a congratulations card saying that I had completed everything. That was for three credit cards, so that was pretty good for me. Now I'm debt-free and I'm happy. I can save money and it's nice to have money in the bank now.

      I had an issue with Capital One, then because I'm a T-Mobile customer, Capital One extended me the invitation for a credit card. So, I accepted it. I went on holiday to the Canary Island and I used my credit card over there for all my purchases. Then I came home and I paid it off. I got a credit card with zero balance and $7,500 available. So, that worked out pretty well with National Debt Relief's help.

      Initially, when I called up National Debt Relief, I got into the program and started talking with a person. They figured out how much was coming in, then they figure how much was going out. They did some numbers, then they saw what number was good for me, and it was. But I told them that I could pay a little bit more, so I went a little bit more and my payment was $666 a month. By paying more shortened the time to pay off everything. After I enrolled in the program, they told me to stop paying my creditors. So, when I came home one day, I had an envelope taped to my front door and Discover was taking me to court.

      I called National Debt Relief and they took down all the information. I faxed them all that because it was a clump of pages and they took care of it. National Debt Relief's reps were very helpful. I even spoke with the lawyer, and the lawyer said I was good because I was going through the debt relief. Discover ended up jumping on the debt relief program, and they got rid of taking me to court. The same thing happened with Capital One.

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      Verified purchase
      Customer ServiceSales & MarketingStaffBilling

      Reviewed July 9, 2026

      Overall, my experience with NDR was fine. My reasoning for selecting National Debt Relief was that the company that I worked for closed and they gave me the boot. I had obtained debts that I could no longer pay, considering I was without a job. I did not want to file bankruptcy. I did not want to do anything other than pay the creditors back that I owed. And so, although they didn't get the full amount that I borrowed, I figured that signing up with National Debt Relief would be a way for them to get their money.

      The program was good. It saved me a lot of issues. But one thing that I did not like about it is that with every call that I spoke with a representative, they'd always ask, "Have circumstances changed? Had things changed?” And although things changed, and I was struggling to make those payments every time, I hardly missed. Even when I asked if my income was still significantly reduced, I didn't get any other help.

      I felt that National Debt Relief obtained my service, but that was it. For that one, it’s like I was hooked in initially, but there was no consideration about the changes of income, the decrease in income from there. They were all nice, but I think it was more scripted. Although I was going through a lot of health struggles and bad health stuff, and I explained it, I heard that they sympathized. But when I expressed that the payment was getting too hectic for me to keep every two weeks, they understood it. And although I was asked, do I have any more hardships, and the answer was always yes, there is no mention of reevaluating to see if we can redo something to reduce it. It's almost like it was bait and hook, and you're stuck. But I am grateful. They're good.

      It's been good to get me out of debt by settling. But I feel like I could have done better settling myself. I could have if I had calmed down. I was too much in a frenzy after I lost my job. I couldn't think straight. And I did not want to deal with having to figure it out. I think had I just been still and called these places individually, I could have gotten a better settlement for myself and probably have worked out something better with the creditors. The only thing that made me go through with National Debt Relief is I didn't want to be garnished. And I knew they could stop that. I knew they would be the ones to stop that better than I could.

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      Verified purchase
      Customer ServiceTechSales & MarketingPricePunctuality & SpeedOnline & AppStaffBillingTransparency

      Reviewed July 6, 2026

      I'm currently a graduate of NDR’s program. I was officially debt-free on January 4th of this year. I was with them for about four years. From 2022, I had accumulated about $9,000 to about $10,000 worth of credit card debt. I sought out National Debt Relief. I did a quick Google search, and they were the first ones that popped up.

      They had a lot of positive reviews in terms from people who had graduated from the program or who were currently enrolled. Then I just gave them a quick call and got on the program. It was also very doable. I did have a little bit of a few hiccups along the way, but we were able to get back on quickly. And I graduated on time.

      Other companies didn't really have affordable options. They did offer me some quotes based on the amount that I owed in credit card debt, and then what they could offer to pay monthly. It was too high for me at the time ‘cause I was going to school, and most of my money was being allocated to my tuition. But National Debt Relief did.

      I like that they were giving me tips. When I had my debt collectors calling my phone number, they were like, “We'll go ahead and replace your phone number with our phone number,” on my personal stuff, like on the mobiles. I owed a card with Chase Bank, which I still bank with, and they were calling me. They said, "Go ahead and log in to the app and change your number to our number. So that when they call you regarding your debt, they'll be led to us. And then we'll be able to negotiate with them, and then get a lower payment on that card for you.” They told me to do that with every single card that I had, just to update my information, specifically, my phone number.

      Once I did that, the collection calls stopped on my end, all being routed to National Debt Relief. Then, after they were able to get in contact with every single debt collector, they came back to me saying, “We struck a deal with all of them, and this was the amount that you would pay,” which was $226 was my monthly payment. Then they would be allocated to the debt collectors, respectively.

      I was very comfortable working with them. They were very thorough and polite. What I enjoyed the most was the active listening. Because when I had those hiccups where I just didn't have income, they were able to ask the right questions and then see what they could do for me in the meantime until I got back up on my feet.

      My monthly payment was the 226, and they were able to cut that in half for two months to give me a little bit of breathing room to just gain some more income. Then I was back to the normal monthly payments going forward after those two months. That was helpful ‘cause I had lost several jobs in between the four years. It was very helpful at the time.

      The ongoing support after graduating from the program was also very helpful. Because they provided me tips, like how to remain debt-free and then just how to manage my finances going forward so that I don't accumulate large amounts of debt going forward. It's helped me stick to a budget, kind of like the guardrails that I need now since we have my daughter, and she's two years old.

      Overall, I had a very good experience from start to finish. Have really no complaints whatsoever regarding the process, the enrollment, or the customer service I received before and after. I definitely would choose them over other competitors again if I need to. And I would definitely also recommend them to other people that I may know that have high amounts of debt.

      I had little to no problems communicating my situation whenever I would lose a job. The process was very smooth, and National Debt Relief was very on time with them noticing that a payment was gonna be coming up. And I always received an email three or five days before the due date. They also always notified me if there was a holiday coming up that the transactions would be coming out on this date versus my original date, which my original date at the time was the 21st. If a holiday came up, they would let me know by email, saying it would be taken out on the 19th, just to avoid any late payments.

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      Customer ServicePricePunctuality & Speed

      Reviewed Aug. 2, 2026

      Regret signing up. Headache after headache. Loss of available credit from accounts not included in this program. No contact with my creditors until accounts are 180 days late or charged off. Way too many phone calls/ emails from creditors in this program.

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      Verified purchase
      Sales & MarketingTimeliness

      Reviewed Aug. 2, 2026

      I was going through financial difficulties and it was taking a toll on me mentally. One day, I was using social media and an ad came up regarding debt consolidation. I reached out the next day, went through the whole process and now I am confident that things will resolve itself. Thank you.

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      Staff

      Reviewed Aug. 2, 2026

      Yes, my experience with the rep Randall ** was pleasant, and he was very informative about everything. I found out about everything that I needed to know in great detail and he was very thorough about those details. Thank you!

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      TechStaffBillingLoan Process

      Reviewed Aug. 2, 2026

      The whole process went smoothly, and it didn't take as long as I thought. I started off with a Debt Specialist who explained and went over my two options. A Manager then explained my contract in full detail. Before you know it, I was able to bring down my debt by about $8,000.00. Also, all the fees are already included in your loan payment. It felt like a getting a big monkey off my shoulder and I now have more financial freedom and less stress. I would definitely recommend this company to anyone who's struggling to pay their credit card bills.

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      Customer ServiceSales & MarketingPrice

      Reviewed Aug. 2, 2026

      I only was looking for a the cost to consolidate my cards so filled out all the questions and never got what I wanted. Had to speak to a person about it. I DID NOT WANT TO DO THAT. Then every day several times a day you no stop calling me like a dog with a bone. Extremely irritating and disrespectful. Then I contacted Turbo. To my surprise they use you so I’m stuck with an ambulance chaser. Now I may have used you on my own if you would not have called and kept calling me like I was your only hope to stay in business!

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      National Debt Relief Company Information

      Social media:
      Company Name:
      National Debt Relief
      Company Type:
      Private
      Year Founded:
      2009
      Address:
      180 Maiden Lane, 30th Floor
      City:
      New York
      State/Province:
      NY
      Postal Code:
      10038
      Country:
      United States
      Website:
      www.nationaldebtrelief.com

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