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.
- Free consultation with debt coach
- Free debt relief quote
- Numerous accreditations
- Professional and responsive customer support
- Easy enrollment process
- Fees can reduce overall savings
- Not available in all states
Helpful Reviews
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
| Eligible debt types | Credit cards, personal loans, lines of credit, medical bills, collections, repossessions, business debts, some student debt |
|---|---|
| Settlement fee | Typically 15% to 25% of the total enrolled debt |
| Account fee | No upfront fees (only charged after a settlement is reached) |
| Time to settle | Usually 24 to 48 months |
| Eligibility | Must have $7,500 or more in unsecured debt and be able to show financial hardship; monthly deposits required |
| Availability | 45 states (excludes Oregon, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Vermont and Connecticut); also Washington, D.C., Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands |
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:
- The process begins with a free consultation to review your financial situation and available options.
- After you approve a personalized plan, National Debt Relief’s experts work to secure settlements on your behalf.
- 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
- Visit National Debt Relief’s website and click “Apply.” Fill out a short questionnaire about your financial situation.
- Schedule a free consultation with a debt specialist.
- Review and approve your personalized debt relief plan.
- 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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Reviewed April 18, 2026
My brother referred me to National Debt Relief. He looked up all of the companies and decided that National Debt Relief would be the best for me. The guy I talked to was very knowledgeable. He was very nice and considerate as well. We talked for a very long time before he signed me up and he explained everything in detail. It was a very pleasant conversation. They gave me an online site and I had difficulties navigating those websites, so I mostly relied on phone calls. I would call them when I had some questions and they would always answer me.
I'm now paid off. I got out of that awful debt I got myself into and I've learned a great lesson from it. National Debt Relief made the process so much easier for me. If I knew somebody that needed them, I would definitely recommend them. Going that far in credit card debt without doing something about it, that was my biggest draw. I learned to stop overspending on the most part. I do not own a credit card now and I never will own a credit card again. I decided to put $100 a month aside in a debit card and use that for whatever I want. If I don't have money in it to buy what I want, I wait till I can build it back up. That's the only way I could figure out that I could buy what I want and still not take it out of the household money. I'm responsible for all these bills I got, so I need to be more smart about it.
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Reviewed April 17, 2026
National Debt Relief was easy to get into, easy to use, and if you got with the right customer service rep, they are knowledgeable. The application process was a little long and outdrawn, but it went smoothly. NDR contacted me and it took a couple of hours. Some of the reps were very helpful and knowledgeable while some of them weren't. Also, some of them were hard to understand on the phone. Their English wasn't the greatest. Some of them spoke super fast and I couldn't understand them so I had to tell them to slow down and repeat it, and they would get upset with me. But the ones I could understand and worked with me were very knowledgeable.
Towards the very end of it right when the government shutdown happened in October, I called to see if I could stop payments for a month or two. The person I dealt with said, "Yeah, that's no problem." I figured it would be put on the back end of my loan. Right after I started paying it back, they said, "You owe us 600-some dollars." NDR didn't explain that well. And when I was paying it off, I made that a point on everything. But that was the only negative that I had about the whole thing. The person that helped me right at the very end was willing to work with me. I paid it off a year in advance. Go for it.
Reviewed March 13, 2026
I had a good experience with National Debt Relief. I just got my credit cards paid off. Every time I called, they answered my questions. They were very helpful whenever I needed something, or when I didn't understand or didn't understand what they were saying. They explained things to me, made things very clear, and it was very helpful. Overall, their customer support was good. I never had anyone being rude or disrespectful. If I didn't understand something, if I needed to explain what I thought they said to me, they let me say it and figure it out in my head. They were very patient with me.
Working with NDR impacted my life because I was able to pay my credit card debt. A couple of ladies that I talked to were very nice. Once I paid everything off, she said, "I better not see your name on here again. I better not see your name on here no more." She congratulated me for graduating, and it was very nice. I have recommended NDR to other people. I'm glad that they worked it out with me to pay what I could pay. I just made sure I paid everything on time. I never missed a payment.
Reviewed March 1, 2026
National Debt Relief has actually changed my life. I recently had to move unexpectedly. My bills were piling up due to the high interest rate. The timing of your call to me was absolutely a godsend. I was on the phone with Frank for probably two hours. He went over every single detail step-by-step! I’ve never been so impressed with a simple phone call that made so much sense to me enough to sign up with National Debt Relief to get my credit cards and bills in order. We worked out a monthly payment plan that was absolutely perfect for my payday schedule. I’m 100% confident that this will completely change my life.
I’m a liver transplant. Patient and I have a lot to worry about just keeping myself alive let alone having to worry about paying off my debts before the end of my life, thank you again for having such a nice company and excellent customer service and the gentleman that helped me was an absolute genius and mathematician on the information he gave me. I also told him if he ever needed to make a commercial call me. I’ll be more than happy to represent your company. Thank you again. Suzanne.
Reviewed March 1, 2026
I had an account with Synchrony Bank, and I noticed that every time I made payments, they kept upping it. So, it was doubling my debt. I figured that I was not going to be able to pay it off without some sort of help. Somebody had mentioned debt consolidation and I looked up online and the most recommended was National Debt Relief. So, I gave them a call, and they were able to handle that situation for me. The rep that I talked to asked me questions and I was able to enroll over the phone. He was very knowledgeable. He helped me a lot. He explained how it worked and I felt better about the programs. It was pretty straightforward.
National Debt Relief had lawyers make a deal with Synchrony Bank and it ended up bringing my total down. I made monthly payments twice a month for a year and a half. When I got all that paid off, it raised my credit score. So, I went from poor to good, and I've been doing other things in that time, but that significantly helped me. Overall, my experience was very positive. I definitely have told other people about National Debt Relief.
Reviewed May 22, 2026
I was thrilled to have discover National Debt Relief to help with our credit cards. My husband and I live on Social Security and a small retirement fund. I had reached a monthly payment to credit cards of $957 and just couldn't do it anymore. I just didn't know what to do. One morning my phone rang and I decided to answer this time. It was National Debt Relief. The gentleman explained how they could help me and get that payment way down. Long story short I am now making a monthly payment of $147. They even negotiated $7,000 off of what I owed. My hat goes off to National Debt Relief!
Reviewed May 19, 2026
It has been a unique experience for me. It's a complicated process that requires time to read and understand before signing up for the agreement. I made the mistake of not doing that. This resulted in my attempt to cancel the agreement by filling a notice of cancellation. However, the Contract manager, Reece; was able to help me review different options that alleviated my misgivings. He restructured the agreement to fit my financial situation and helped me understand the process so much better. I appreciate his expert help and would recommend him to anyone needing valuble advice on financial matters.
Reviewed May 19, 2026
I enrolled with National Debt Relief in July 2022 with approximately $35,600 in unsecured debt (mainly Upstart and Synchrony/PayPal). I was in a difficult financial situation after a period of unemployment and was desperately looking for a way to reduce my debt burden without filing bankruptcy at that time. During the initial sales call, which was recorded, the representative was very reassuring. She specifically told me that my credit score “will organically improve” and “will start to report back to the credit report with a zero balance” as the debts were settled. This statement was a major factor in my decision to sign the contract, even though the written agreement disclaimed credit repair services.
I began making monthly deposits into the dedicated settlement account as required. In February 2023, NDR negotiated one partial settlement on the Upstart debt. After a token $50 payment was made to the creditor, NDR immediately withdrew the majority of their fee ($4,085.59), leaving the account almost empty. Subsequent smaller fee withdrawals continued. The Synchrony debt was never settled. My settlement account was repeatedly drained, leading to overdraft fees from my bank.
I stayed in the program for over two years, continuing to make payments even as my credit score deteriorated due to the required stoppage of payments to creditors. By November 2024, I finally withdrew from the program after realizing the fees had consumed roughly half of what I had paid toward settlements. The program left me in worse shape than when I started, with serious delinquencies, charge-offs, and a denied credit card application specifically citing the “serious delinquency” caused by this process.
I paid a total of $5,551.73 in fees to NDR and received almost nothing in return. I am now forced to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy to get a fresh start. This experience has been extremely stressful and financially damaging. This company preys on desperate people with misleading sales promises while delivering very little actual debt relief for the high fees charged. I have filed complaints with the BBB, CFPB, and California Attorney General. I strongly advise others in financial trouble to avoid National Debt Relief and seriously consider other options, including going straight to bankruptcy counseling or filing if the numbers don’t work.
Thank you for reaching out about your concerns. We see that you spoke with us today but will be doing a deeper dive into your program to be able to better assist you. A member of our team will be giving you a call as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
National Debt Relief
Reviewed May 19, 2026
April ** helped me and she gave me the best experience I could’ve had. I was able to understand the situation and relieve myself of so much stress. I will most likely recommend National Debt Relief to friends and members of my family.
Reviewed May 18, 2026
I was looking online for a loan, I came across NDR, Gregg R., sent me an email showing my debts and creditors. He showed me how he could help. It got me thinking overnight. I spoke to my wife and here we are! I think he was Heaven sent.
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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