National Debt Relief Review: Is It Legit and Worth It?

If you’re struggling with credit card debt or medical bills and feel like you’re running out of options, you’ve probably come across National Debt Relief. According to The Penny Hoarder’s State of Savings research, 58% of working Americans are living paycheck to paycheck — so if keeping up with debt and bills feels overwhelming right now, you’re not alone.

National Debt Relief is a legitimate debt settlement company that negotiates with your creditors to accept less than you owe in exchange for a lump-sum payment. It has settled debt for more than one million customers and holds an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. However, debt settlement carries serious trade-offs that make it the wrong choice for many people — and the right choice only for specific situations.

This review covers what National Debt Relief actually costs, the risks you need to understand before enrolling and how to decide if this is the right option for your situation.

What Is National Debt Relief?

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National Debt Relief is a debt settlement company. Debt settlement describes the process of negotiating with creditors to reduce the amount you owe. It’s something you can do yourself or have a company — like National Debt Relief — do for you. It can negotiate down unsecured debt like credit cards, personal loans and medical bills. National Debt Relief says it may also be able to help with business debt, private student loans and more. It does not work for secured debt, which is debt with collateral attached. For most people that’s their car or their home. This is also different from debt consolidation, which is when you consolidate your debts with something like a personal loan at a lower interest rate. 

Because you stop making payments as part of a debt settlement program, creditors may see the reduced amount as better than nothing, which is how they come to an agreement. You then pay off the rest in a lump sum. On average, you could become debt-free within 24 to 48 months if your creditor agrees to settle. 

National Debt Relief can work for you, but success depends on your creditors’ willingness to negotiate, your ability to save consistently and whether you stay in the program for its full duration.

‘Working’ in this context means: NDR successfully negotiates a reduction with your creditors, you complete the program and you end up paying less than you originally owed (accounting for fees). For customers who complete the program, that outcome is achievable for many types of unsecured debt.

‘Not working’ looks like: a major creditor refuses to settle, files a lawsuit instead or you exit the program early — at which point you’ve already damaged your credit and possibly incurred debts to collection agencies with no settlement to show for it. NDR can’t force any creditor to negotiate, and that’s an important limitation to understand.

NDR doesn’t publish a specific settlement success rate that can be independently verified. If a representative cites a specific percentage during your consultation, ask for documentation. Offers change; verify terms.

How National Debt Relief Works

Here’s how the process generally works, step by step:

1. Enroll your unsecured debts — credit cards, medical bills, personal loans and some private student loans. Mortgages, federal student loans and auto loans are not eligible.
2. Stop making payments to enrolled creditors. This is required to create negotiating leverage — but it’s also what damages your credit and can trigger collection activity.
3. Make monthly deposits into a dedicated savings account that you control. NDR doesn’t have access to these funds until you approve a settlement.
4. National Debt Relief negotiates with creditors as your savings accumulate. The first settlement typically comes within 3–6 months.
5. You approve each settlement before any payment is made. You keep control of the account throughout the program.
6. NDR collects its fee — 18–25% of your enrolled debt amount — only after a settlement is completed.
7. The process repeats until all enrolled debts are resolved. Program duration is typically 24–48 months.

Eligibility requirements: minimum $10,000 in qualifying unsecured debt, a genuine financial hardship and residency in a covered state. NDR is available in most U.S. states, including D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Verify your state’s eligibility at nationaldebtrelief.com. Offers change; verify terms.

For a broader overview of the process, see TPH’s explainer on how debt settlement works.

National Debt Relief Fees and Costs

You won’t pay any upfront fees, but you’ll be charged once a settlement is reached. That could be up to 25% of the amount of the debt that you enrolled — not the settled amount. 

This distinction matters a lot. Here’s a worked example:

• You enroll $20,000 in credit card debt
• NDR negotiates creditors down to $11,000
• NDR’s fee is 18–25% of $20,000 — that’s $3,600 to $5,000
• Your total out-of-pocket: $11,000 (settled) + $3,600–$5,000 (fee) = $14,600–$16,000
• Actual savings vs. original balance: $4,000–$5,400 — not $9,000

National Debt Relief says you’ll only be charged the fee if: the creditor makes a settlement offer, you accept that offer and you’ve made at least one payment toward the settlement. So if your creditor won’t settle, you don’t pay a fee. 

Another cost to factor in is taxes. You’ll get a form from your creditor if your forgiven amount is more than $600, because that forgiven debt is considered income. It could be excluded if you’re “insolvent” which means your liabilities exceed your assets. Liabilities are what you owe, assets are what you own.

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Who Qualifies for National Debt Relief?

To qualify for National Debt Relief, you need to have at least $10,000 in unsecured debt and have the ability to make monthly payments in the account they set up for you. There’s no credit score requirements. Most of the time, however, you need to be experiencing some type of financial hardship like job loss or unexpected expenses like medical bills. 

If you are struggling to make ends meet while drowning in high-interest unsecured debt and you meet the qualifications, it could be a good option for you. This is especially true if you’re trying to avoid filing for bankruptcy. 

It’s important to weigh the risks, too. Although you won’t pay a fee if your creditor won’t settle, you will be behind on payments because National Debt Relief has you put those payments in the settlement fund. Your credit score will very likely drop, and if you do settle, you may pay taxes on the forgiven debt. Plus, you’re paying National Debt Relief’s fee of up to 25% of the enrolled debt. 

May be a good fit if:

• You have $10,000+ in unsecured debt (credit cards, medical bills, personal loans)
• You genuinely can’t afford minimum payments and are facing financial hardship
• No plans for major credit activity — buying a home, renting — for several years
• You live in a state where NDR is available
• You understand the risks (credit, lawsuits, taxes, dropout) and can accept them

Likely not a good fit if:

• Your debt is primarily federal student loans (not eligible)
• Your debt is manageable with a budget change or a debt management plan (lower credit impact)
• You’re planning to buy a home, take out a loan, or rent an apartment in the next 2–3 years
• You live in one of the few excluded states
• You’re facing imminent creditor lawsuits that require immediate legal protection (bankruptcy may be a better fit)

If you can still manage your payments and aren’t experiencing financial hardship, then it could be worth it to look into other options. Ultimately, National Debt Relief is better for people in deep financial stress who have limited options.

Pros and Cons of National Debt Relief

These are some of the pros of using National Debt Relief to help you get out of debt:

Is National Debt Relief Legit?

National Debt Relief is a legit debt settlement company. It was founded in 2009 and is an accredited business with the Better Business Bureau with an A+ rating. Its reviews on the BBB website average out to 4.7. It also has a 4.7 rating on TrustPilot. It has provided debt settlement for more than a million customers, according to its website, and it has no major Consumer Federal Protection Bureau or Federal Trade Commission enforcement actions. 

Positive review themes center on successful settlement outcomes, responsive and helpful account managers and satisfaction at seeing debts resolved after years of struggle. Many reviewers specifically note the program was the only realistic option for their situation.

That said, that doesn’t mean the program is right for everyone. Debt settlement requires you to stop making payments to creditors — a step that will damage your credit score, may trigger creditor lawsuits and creates IRS tax liability on any forgiven amount. 

Complaints mostly cite the timeline taking longer than expected, confusion about how fees are calculated (enrolled amount vs. settled amount), creditor lawsuits that arose mid-program and difficulty exiting the program once enrolled. So there are material risks that every prospective customer needs to understand before enrolling.

One important consumer warning: NDR has publicly flagged that fraudulent callers sometimes impersonate NDR representatives to collect payments or personal information. If you receive an unexpected call claiming to be from National Debt Relief, do not provide payment information. Verify by calling NDR’s official number directly.  

The Risks of Debt Settlement (Read Before You Enroll)

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National Debt Relief’s program requires you to stop paying creditors — a step that will damage your credit score and may trigger creditor lawsuits. There is no guarantee your creditors will be willing to settle, either. Here’s what else you should know:

Credit Score Damage

Stopping payments as required by the program causes a significant credit score drop. Payment history is the largest factor in your credit score — it’s responsible for about 35%, according to Experian. Settled accounts also are reported as ‘settled for less than full amount,’ which carries a negative mark. These entries stay on your credit report for up to seven years and can affect your ability to borrow, rent an apartment or in some cases, get hired.

Creditor Lawsuits

Creditors are not legally required to stop collection activity while you’re in a debt settlement program. Some may sue you before a settlement is reached, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Unlike bankruptcy, there is no automatic legal stay that protects you from lawsuits while in a debt settlement program. If a creditor obtains a judgment against you, they may be able to garnish your wages or bank account.

Tax Liability on Forgiven Debt

The IRS treats forgiven debt as taxable income. If $10,000 of your debt is forgiven through a settlement, you may owe income tax on that $10,000 at your regular tax rate. For example, if you’re in the 22% tax bracket, that’s $2,200 in additional federal taxes. You’ll receive a Form 1099-C for each settled account where more than $600 was forgiven.

Program Dropout Risk

If your financial situation worsens after enrolling — a job loss, medical emergency or other income disruption — you may not be able to continue making monthly deposits. Exiting the program early means you’ve already damaged your credit, may have creditor collection activity underway and have no settled debts to show for it. There is no partial-completion benefit. Consider whether you can sustain the monthly commitment for 24–48 months before signing up.

Even if your creditors do settle, the fees can really add up and reduce your savings. And you’ll still have damage to your credit score. Debt settlement is considered a last resort for most people.

National Debt Relief vs. Alternatives

If you want to get out of debt but you’re not sure settlement is the way to go, there are other options. You could look into balance transfer cards. These cards allow you to transfer existing debt to a card with a 0% APR period. So you can make a dent in your debt while getting a break on interest. 

Here are some other common alternatives. 

Freedom Debt Relief

Freedom Debt Relief is the largest competitor to NDR, with a similar debt settlement structure. It may charge slightly lower fees at the minimum end, but it has faced a larger federal enforcement action (2019 $25M CFPB settlement) and is available in fewer states. See our full Freedom Debt Relief review or our roundup of the best debt relief companies.

Nonprofit Credit Counseling

NFCC-member agencies offer debt management plans (DMPs) that negotiate lower interest rates with creditors — not debt reduction. You make a single monthly payment through the agency, which distributes funds to your creditors. Credit damage is far less severe than debt settlement, and you typically pay back your full balance. Credit counseling is usually a cheaper option because it’s often provided by a non-profit. This will get you guidance for how to manage your debt, but it won’t reduce what you owe.

Debt Consolidation Loan

Debt consolidation is when you use a personal loan to pay off debts then pay back the singular loan (hopefully with a lower interest rate) to make debt more manageable. It requires fair to good credit (typically 580+). There’s no major credit damage, and resolution is faster than debt settlement programs. If you can qualify, this is often the lower-cost option. Here’s our guide on debt consolidation.

Bankruptcy

Filing for bankruptcy should be a last resort. There are different types, but what it boils down to is that it either relieves you of your debt or allows you to pay it under a different plan. Although that sounds great, not all debts can be included in the filing, and there are long-lasting consequences to it. This includes loss of property and damage to your credit score. Bankruptcy also stays on your credit report between seven and 10 years. Here’s our guide on bankruptcy.

Frequently Asked Questions About National Debt Relief

Mackenzie Raetz is senior editor of freelance for The Penny Hoarder and a Certified Educator in Personal Finance.