Frequently Asked Questions
National Financial Relief is a legitimate, reputable company dedicated to helping clients address overwhelming debt. We’re A rated by the BBB, and our team of debt arbitrators are certified through the IAPDA (International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators). Furthermore, we are accredited by the AFCC (American Fair Credit Council), the leading association of professional consumer credit advocates. Who supports consumers struggling with overwhelming credit and debt problems. For us to work effectively with creditors on behalf of clients, trust and professionalism are paramount. Therefore, if you’re looking for a trusted partner to help you address your outstanding debts, National Debt Relief could be the right choice for you.
You do. The bank account is set up in your name, and the money in the account is yours. We recommend keeping your funds in a new account, separate from your existing bank accounts because experience has shown this separation to dramatically increase the probability that you will succeed in the program. Freedom Debt Relief fees are deducted from this account on a debt-by-debt basis and only after each debt is settled, as indicated in the agreement you signed with us. But you still own the accumulated savings in the account.
The percentage you can settle your debt for depends on your creditor, how much you owe, which state you live in, and many other factors. With over 12 years of experience in debt settlement, National Financial Relief could settle your debt for as little as 50% of the amount you owe or in some cases even less. It is important to note that every creditor is different and the amount they will settle for can vary.
Our program is focused on dealing with unsecured debts (credit cards, medical bills, unsecured personal loans, etc.). We can’t help with debt that is secured by collateral (such as mortgages or auto loans). However, after completing the program, the money you had been paying towards your unsecured creditors can be used to pay down secured debts and start saving for your financial future. Not everyone completes our program, so remember that sticking to your monthly savings plan is the most important factor in determining your success
The amount it costs you to become debt free is dependent on a number of factors including: your credit balances, your ability to contribute monthly escrow payments into your program, the amount that can be negotiated from your balance and how quickly it is negotiated, and what fees your debt settlement firm charges you.
If you have one card with a low balance that you can quickly pay down to zero, then you may hold on to it for emergencies. The program will generally not work, however, unless you enroll all of your high balance (greater than $500) credit card accounts. Open credit cards make it difficult for us to negotiate with your creditors if they see you are settling on some accounts but not others.
Unsecured debt often takes up a significant portion of the average consumer’s overall debt. The good news is that it can be resolved as part of a debt settlement program. If you are faced with high balances on credit cards, medical bills or unsecured loans, the program may be able to contact the creditors and negotiate for the account to be paid off for a lesser amount.
If the debt is based on collateral such as a vehicle, house or piece of property; it is considered a secured debt. Specific examples of secured debt include a secured line of credit, mortgage, home equity loan and motorcycle loan. Unfortunately, this type of debt cannot be settled because the creditor can simply relinquish the asset in order to recover the funds.
Another type of debt that cannot be included in a debt settlement are federal or government backed student loans.
Few people with debt troubles have perfect credit to begin with; and it is likely your credit score (usually called the FICO score) will decline during the program.
Regardless of your credit score, we recommend against applying for new credit while going through a debt settlement program. It simply doesn’t make sense to take on new debt while you’re trying to tackle your existing debt problem.
The good news though, is that credit scores tend to improve quickly once a debt settlement program has been completed.
Truthfully, just graduating from our debt settlement program should help to rebuild your credit score. While your credit score may decline initially while undergoing debt settlement, many of our clients find that by the time they graduate, their score has returned to the same rate if not higher than when they started. It’s also important to remember that once your debt is paid off, it should be much more manageable to pay off your purchases without putting everything on credit. The fact that you’re not delaying or missing payments should help to improve your credit score as well.
Yes you can. You can also do your own taxes and repair your own car, but most people would rather leave these tasks to experienced professionals. The National Financial Relief team of negotiation specialists resolve over $33 million in debt. Our knowledge and experience puts us in a strong position to stand up to your creditors and fight for the best settlement possible.
