Medical bills have a way of piling up right when your credit cards are already stretched thin. If you’re juggling both, you’ve probably wondered whether your debt is big enough to get real help, or too scattered across accounts to qualify for anything at all.
The answer is simpler than you’d expect: you need at least $5,000 in eligible unsecured debts to enroll in our debt relief program, and that can be from one account or spread out across multiple. We work with all kinds of unsecured debt, including credit cards, medical bills, personal loans, some private student loans and other unsecured debts.
The $5,000 Minimum, Explained
We can help people with $5,000 or more in eligible unsecured debt. “Unsecured” means the debt is not backed by collateral: there’s no house, car, or other property a lender could take back if you stopped paying. Credit cards, personal loans, and medical bills all fall into this category.
Eligibility is based on your total unsecured debt, not on any single balance. Add up all of your eligible balances, and if the total is $5,000 or more, you are eligible. Say you owe $3,200 in medical bills plus $2,400 spread across two credit cards. Add them up ($3,200 + $2,400) and you’re carrying $5,600 in unsecured debt, comfortably over the $5,000 bar, even though no single account gets close on its own.
There’s no maximum, and we evaluate eligibility case by case. In practice, many people who enroll have $10,000 or more in eligible debts. Once enrolled, clients save an average of $608 a month compared to what they were paying before, and many cut their eligible monthly payments by 40% or more. Clients typically become debt-free in 24-48 months.
The bigger your enrolled debt, the bigger your monthly savings tends to be. On average, clients with $10,000–$15,000 in enrolled debt save around $223 a month; that climbs to roughly $486 a month for clients in the $25,000–$35,000 range, and $994 a month for those between $50,000 and $75,000. Clients enrolling with $100,000 or more in unsecured debt save an average of over $2,200 a month. The program is built for small and large debt loads alike, but the more you’re carrying, the more room it can free up in your monthly budget.
Which Debts Count Toward the Minimum
Before you tally your total debt, sort your accounts into two groups — secured and unsecured. Only the second group counts toward the $5,000 minimum.
A mortgage or car loan in the mix doesn’t disqualify you. Those debts simply stay outside the program while we work on the ones that qualify.
Which Debts Qualify for Debt Relief
Debts we can help with
- Credit cards, including store credit cards
- Personal loans
- Medical bills
- Certain collection accounts
- Some private student loans
Debts that don’t qualify
- Mortgages and home equity loans
- Auto loans
- Federal student loans
- Tax debt
- Child support and alimony
Our program covers unsecured debt. You need $5,000 or more in eligible unsecured debt to enroll. Eligibility is confirmed during your free consultation.
How the Program Works, Step by Step
- Free consultation. Fill out a brief online form and talk to a Certified Debt Specialist by phone.
- Personalized debt review. Together, you’ll walk through your total debt, monthly income, and goals.
- Custom program enrollment. If you decide to move forward, we build your program around your budget.
- Dedicated ongoing support. Get personalized support from our Client Success Team, access to financial resources and track progress 24/7 in the client dashboard and mobile app.
- Resolution. Clients typically resolve their enrolled debt in 24-48 months.
How does it compare to credit counseling? They’re two different tools. In a debt management plan, a counselor builds a payment schedule with you and your creditors, who may agree to lower interest rates or waive certain fees. Our program targets reducing your balance, which means you become debt-free faster and for less. The right fit depends on your debt type, budget, and credit goals.
What It Costs, and When You Actually Pay
We do not collect upfront fees. Our fees are success-based, and we earn them by achieving a successful result for your debt. Depending on your state, the fee runs 15-25% of your enrolled debt, and we earn it only after you approve a resolution offer and make at least one payment under the new terms.
Regardless of which company you work with, there are federal rules on when these companies can charge fees. They bar any company that negotiates your debts from collecting its fee before you approve an offer and make at least one payment on it. A provider asking for money before these conditions happen is your clearest red flag.
How to Tell a Legitimate Program From a Scam
Skepticism is healthy in this industry; bad actors exist, and they cost people real money. The fix is a track record you can verify. Ours looks like this:
- Helping people since 2011
- A+ Accredited Business with the Better Business Bureau
- Accredited by the Association for Consumer Debt Relief (ACDR)
- IAPDA-Certified Debt Specialists
- 1.3+ million people helped
- $15+ billion in debt resolved
- 68,000+ five star reviews on Google, Trustpilot and more
Whoever you consider, ask for the same proof. A legitimate company should be willing to explain its fees, accreditations, specialist certifications, reviews, and track record clearly before you enroll.
The Support You Get Once You’re In
Enrollment starts with a Certified Debt Specialist, and a Client Success Team picks it up from there. You get a client dashboard to watch your progress, plus live chat, phone, and email support 24/7.
Clients also get access to:
- Weekly financial wellness group sessions with our in-house Certified Financial Therapists™
- Self-guided financial wellness courses
- A private, online community of people in the program
That level of support has earned us recognition as one of the best-reviewed customer service teams in the industry, including a Gold Stevie® Award for Customer Service Department of the Year.
What People Typically Save
Clients save an average of $608 on eligible monthly payments, and many cut those eligible monthly payments by 40% or more. From there, clients typically become debt-free in 24-48 months.
Graduates back that up on two counts: affordability and whether they’d recommend the program. In a survey of more than 10,000 program graduates, 92% said their program payments were affordable, and 8 out of 10 would recommend Accredited Debt Relief to a friend or family member.
If your unsecured debts sit at or above $5,000, and especially if they’ve climbed past $10,000, talk to a Certified Debt Specialist. The consultation is free with no obligation, and you can get a free, personalized savings estimate that shows what your monthly payments could look like. You’ve been carrying this alone long enough.
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice. Individual results may vary.