National Debt Relief Review [2025] Is National Debt Relief Legit?

If you’re stressed about debt and feel overwhelmed at the thought of digging yourself out, you aren’t alone. Total US bankruptcy filings rose 16.8% in 2024.

Bankruptcy can negatively impact your credit for up to a decade, making it difficult to get credit going forward without having to pay sky-high interest rates.  

Fortunately, debt relief companies like National Debt Relief offer another way out of debt.

Let’s explore how National Debt Relief works, examine the pros and cons, and see what actual customers have to say about working with the company so you can decide whether National Debt Relief could be the right debt relief solution for you.

What Is National Debt Relief? 

National Debt Relief is the largest debt relief company in America. Founded in 2009 to help Americans in debt turn their finances around, National Debt Relief offers debt relief programs where debt settlement experts negotiate on your behalf to get your balances lowered. They also work with you to set up a manageable debt repayment plan to pay off your debt more quickly than you would by only making minimum payments.

National Debt Relief has what they call their Whole Human Finance™ philosophy, meaning the company helps clients not only get out of debt now but achieve financial stability for life, too, by offering tools, resources, support, and guidance throughout your debt repayment journey.  

This includes a Facebook group for customers and graduates of their program geared toward supporting you on the path toward financial wellness.

National Debt Review has helped over half a million people resolve debt and was named Forbes Advisor’s Best of 2024 Debt Relief Company.

Is National Debt Relief Legit? 

Yes, National Debt Relief is a legitimate debt relief company. We’re confident in that assessment because National Debt Relief is:

• America’s oldest debt relief company (founded in 2009)
• A+ rated by the Better Business Bureau with a 4.74-star out of 5 customer rating
• Forbes Advisor’s Best of 2024 Debt Relief Company
• Rated 4.7 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot with over 40,000 reviews.

How Does National Debt Relief Work?

Getting Started

To get started with National Debt Relief, you can call the company and speak with a Certified Debt Specialist or fill out a debt relief application on the company’s website.

You’ll get a free debt relief consultation where one of National Debt Relief’s Certified Debt Specialists will evaluate your situation and discuss your financial goals so they can put together a customized debt relief plan for you.  

If you decide to move forward with the debt relief plan outlined for you, your specialist will forward your application to their underwriting team. You should then find out whether you’re approved in only about 10 minutes.

Once You’re in the Program

If you’re approved and enrolled, a dedicated savings account will be set up for you. The monthly deposits you’ll make toward paying off your debt as well as the program’s fees will be scheduled to pay into your account as agreed upon in your debt relief plan.

And speaking of National Debt Relief’s fees, you won’t owe any until you receive an offer from a creditor and begin paying off that settlement offer from your dedicated savings account.

This means that if National Debt Relief is unable to settle your accounts for less than what you owe your creditors, you won’t owe them anything.

You’ll have access to an online portal where you can easily manage your program, including tracking your progress and requesting assistance if needed.

Paying Off Your Debt

It may be several months after your enrollment in the program before you start getting offers from creditors. That’s because once you accept and agree to a reduced payoff amount from a creditor, you’ll need to be able to pay that right away. So your balance in your dedicated debt relief savings account needs time to grow before you can move on to this step of the process.

National Debt Relief will let you know immediately when an offer is received from one of your creditors, and it will be up to you whether to accept the offer. If you accept, they’ll accept on your behalf and set up a payment plan with the creditor using the funds in your dedicated debt relief savings account.

How long it takes to become debt-free will depend on several factors, including the number of debts you have, the number of creditors involved, the total amount of debt, and the monthly payment amounts you’re able to afford. But it takes two to four years on average. You’ll get a good idea of how long it will take in your unique case at the consultation stage.

It’s important to note that with National Debt Relief, your debt settlement program isn’t a set it and forget it situation. If your situation changes before you’ve finished paying off your debt and you’re no longer able to afford your payments, you can reach out and one of their Certified Debt Specialists will work with you.

With National Debt Relief, the average debt reduction amount is 30%, even taking program fees into consideration. Being America’s top debt relief company means that National Debt Relief has established strong relationships with many creditors, which can be an advantage in negotiations.

What Is the Catch With National Debt Relief?

“Catch” probably isn’t the right word, but you should be aware that you will owe a fee if you choose to move forward with a debt relief plan with National Debt Relief and receive and begin paying off a satisfactory creditor offer. That fee may vary based on several factors but could be up to 25% of your total enrolled debt.

Is National Debt Relief Safe?

Yes, National Debt Relief is a safe debt relief company to work with. It’s the largest debt relief company in America, is A+ rated by the Better Business Bureau with a 4.74-star out of 5 customer rating, and was named Forbes Advisor’s Best of 2024 Debt Relief Company.

You’ll also owe nothing if you decide not to work with National Debt Review to resolve your debt after your consultation or if they don’t bring you any debt settlement offers from your creditors that you find satisfactory.

That said, you’ll want to be sure you understand the fees you’ll owe and how your credit could be impacted in the early stages of the debt relief process before moving forward with a debt relief plan.

National Debt Relief Pros and Cons

Here’s a brief overview of the positives and negatives you can expect to encounter if you choose to work with National Debt Relief to resolve your debts.

Pros

• Reduce the total amount of debt you owe (30% reduction on average).
• Reduce the time it takes to pay off your debt.
• Simplify the debt repayment process.
• Avoid bankruptcy.
• Free consultation with no hard credit pull.
• Access to a portal where you can manage your program, including requesting changes to your debt relief program if needed.

Cons

• Once you’ve agreed to a settlement offer and begun repaying your debt within the program, you’ll also be paying toward National Debt Relief’s fee of up to 25% of the total enrolled debt.

National Debt Relief Reviews

Now that you understand how National Debt Relief works as well as some of the pros and cons of choosing this route to debt resolution, let’s look at what some of their customers have to say about their experiences working with them.  

National Debt Relief has earned an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and 4.74 stars out of 5 with over 4,000 customer reviews.

A common theme in the many 5-star National Debt Relief reviews on the BBB website is that their customers are happy with their interactions with National Debt Relief’s Certified Debt Specialists and with the way the company works with them if they run into any issues during the debt resolution process.

Customer complaints on the BBB website are closed out promptly when the company reaches out to the customer and resolves the issue they’re having to their satisfaction.

National Debt Relief has earned an impressive 4.7 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot with over 40,000 reviews.

This first reviewer expresses the relief they felt immediately after contacting the company and how well things are progressing with their National Debt Relief debt resolution plan.  

This National Debt Relief customer expresses relief that their years-long struggle with debt is over.

In this 5-star review, a National Debt Relief customer explains that they were unable to make any progress with their debt for 8 years but are relieved to be making progress with National Debt Relief.

Source: Trustpilot

This next reviewer appreciated how clearly the entire debt relief process with National Debt Relief was explained to them.

Not all reviews were positive. But a positive theme in National Debt Relief’s negative reviews is that the company reaches out promptly to try to make things right with any unhappy customers.

Commonly Asked Questions About National Debt Relief

National Debt Relief Competitors / Alternatives To National Debt Relief / Similar To National Debt Relief? 

Some alternatives to National Debt Relief include:

• Impact Debt Relief (read our Impact Debt review)
• Freedom Debt Relief
• Accredited Debt Relief

Is National Debt Relief a Scam? 

No, National Debt Relief is not a scam. It’s a legitimate company with an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and 4.7 stars out of 5 on Trustpilot with over 40,000 reviews.

National Debt Relief does charge a fee for their debt services that is generally bundled in with your repayment plan once you’ve agreed to a settlement offer from a creditor and have begun the repayment process.

Who Is Eligible For National Debt Relief? 

Secured debts like home mortgages and auto loans are not typically eligible for debt settlement. Only unsecured debts may be eligible for a debt relief program. Unsecured debt refers to any debt not backed by an asset and may include credit card debt, medical debt, some loans and utilities, and back rent.

How Much Does National Debt Relief Cost? 

You won’t owe National Debt Relief anything until you’ve agreed to a debt relief program, accepted a settlement offer from a creditor, and begun paying off your debt within the program. Your specific fees will be explained during your consultation but could be up to 25% of your total enrolled debt.

Does National Debt Relief Hurt Your Credit?

Working with a debt relief company like National Debt Relief can negatively impact your credit in the beginning because you won’t be paying toward your debt right away and because creditors are agreeing to accept less than the full debts owed.

But while a bankruptcy can stay on your credit for more than seven years, you can begin rebuilding your credit quickly once you’ve begun paying off your debt through a debt relief program with National Debt Relief.

What Are the Tax Implications of Working With National Debt Relief?

Depending on various factors, including the state you live in and the details of your debt relief plan, you may or may not owe taxes on the forgiven debt amount. National Debt Relief recommends consulting with a tax professional and asking them about Form 982 specifically.