Reaching out for help can be daunting, especially if you’re trying to find a way out of debt. And while any trustworthy debt consolidation company will walk you through all the details of their program during your call, this guide is here to help you feel more confident picking up the phone.
Accredited Debt Relief is a debt relief and consolidation company that has helped more than 1.3 million clients resolve over $15 billion in debt since 2011. Getting help starts with a free, no-obligation consultation that won’t affect your credit score. Here’s exactly what happens on that call, what you should ask and how to tell you’re talking to a company you can trust.
TL;DR: On the call, a Certified Debt Specialist reviews your unsecured debts (credit cards, personal loans and medical bills), your income, basic living costs and goals, then walks you through available options. You can ask about fees, your timeline and how your monthly payments would change. There are no upfront fees; our fees are success-based.
What to Know Before You Call: The Short Version
- The first call is a free consultation with no obligation and no impact on your credit for checking your options.
- A specialist reviews your debts, income and monthly budget to see what you may be eligible for.
- Programs like Accredited Debt Relief’s are built for people with $5,000 or more in unsecured debt such as credit cards, personal loans and medical bills.
- Most Accredited Debt Relief clients reduce eligible monthly payments by 40% or more and become debt-free in 24 to 48 months.
- Reputable companies charge success-based fees, typically a percentage of enrolled balances, with no upfront fees.
What Happens on the First Call
Think of your first call as an introduction to the program. A certified debt specialist will ask about your finances, go over your monthly spending and learn how you got here. Their goal is to find out if you’re a good fit for a debt consolidation program, and what circumstances may impact your ability to participate.
You’ll usually get a chance to ask questions, learn how much you could save and see what next steps might look like. With Accredited Debt Relief, typical clients reduce their eligible monthly payments by 40% or more — an average of about $608 a month — and finish the program in 24 to 48 months. Knowing those benchmarks ahead of time makes it easier to judge whether what you hear on the call is realistic.
While you can call any time, your estimate may be more accurate if you have some idea of your finances already. So ask yourself:
What kind of debts do I have?
Pay special attention to credit cards, eligible unsecured personal loans and medical bills, which are the most likely candidates for debt consolidation.
How much do I owe in total?
Knowing the total helps the specialist estimate which options may fit your budget. Most debt relief programs, including Accredited Debt Relief’s, are designed for people with at least $5,000 in unsecured debt.
How much do I make?
The specialist may ask about your income to evaluate which options fit your budget, so it helps to know your take-home pay after taxes.
What are my basic living costs?
Account for food, housing and transportation.
What are my goals?
Prioritize your short-term needs, like lowering monthly payments or reducing stress.
These questions help them evaluate which options may fit your situation. Your math doesn’t have to be perfect, but giving honest, clear answers helps them give you better information.
What You Should Ask
A good consultation works both ways. Not only can you ask questions, you should! You want to make sure the company knows what they’re doing, and that their program fits your life.
Get the details about how much lower your monthly payments could be, what your program timeline could look like, how payments work and if there are any real-world examples that you can refer to. Ask how fees work, too. With a reputable company, fees are success-based — you don’t pay until results are delivered. Accredited Debt Relief’s fees typically range from 15% to 25% of your enrolled balances depending on the state of residence, with nothing upfront.
A few questions worth asking on the call:
- How much could my eligible monthly payment go down?
- How long would it take to become debt-free in the program?
- How do the monthly payments and any fees work?
- What results have clients in situations like mine seen?
- Are you accredited, and by which organizations?
You don’t have to ask everything on the first call, but getting answers to the big questions will help you decide if you want to move forward.
What Paperwork You Might Need Later
This isn’t an audit, so no need to go searching for every document that relates to your finances. If you move forward with a program, they’ll likely ask for:
- Proof of income, like a pay stub or tax return
- A government-issued ID
- Your address, phone number and email
Most of these personal details are to verify your identity and set up your accounts. If you’re not sure what counts as proof, just ask: They’ll walk you through it.
How to Know You’re Talking to a Trustworthy Company
Some debt consolidation companies are helpful and transparent, while others may push you into a program that works for them, but not for you.
Remember that a trustworthy company explains its fee structure clearly and won’t demand prohibited advance fees. They’ll give you clear answers, share their program’s process transparently, have good online reviews and can show that they’re accredited by professional organizations.
A predatory company usually shows its hand early. Watch for these red flags:
- Fees before results. The FTC’s Telemarketing Sales Rule makes it illegal for for-profit debt relief services sold by phone to demand fees before any debt is resolved.
- Guaranteed results. No company should promise to make all your debt disappear.
- Pressure to enroll on the first call. A legitimate program gives you time to review the plan before you commit.
And no single program fits everyone, so consider your options carefully before you enroll.
Accredited Debt Relief is one example of what that looks like. It holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, is an accredited member of the Association for Consumer Debt Relief (ACDR, formerly the American Fair Credit Council) and staffs debt specialists certified by the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA). It has also earned tens of thousands of 5-star reviews across BBB, Trustpilot, Google and ConsumerAffairs, and its customer service has been recognized with national industry awards.
Need help checking a company’s record? Look them up first with the Better Business Bureau.
What Results Can Look Like
It helps to picture the other side of the call. Mark and Dawne, retired veterans from Oklahoma, resolved $39,828 in debt and saved more than $500 a month. They’re not unusual: in a survey of Accredited Debt Relief graduates, 92% said their payments were affordable, 8 in 10 said they’d recommend the program and surveyed graduates reported a 42% improvement in their financial habits.
40%+
Typical reduction in eligible monthly payments
24–48
Months to become debt-free
92%
Of graduates said their payments were affordable
1.3M+
Clients helped since 2011
What Happens Next
If you decide to move forward, the company will usually send you a copy of your proposed plan. It will be your responsibility to review the details, timeline, payment and fees. And when you agree, the company will likely help you make the transition into the program, too.
Calling a debt consolidation company means you’re trying to find a way out of debt, which is aa good step in the right direction. And if high monthly payments or growing balances are making it hard to stay afloat, we might be the best call you make this year. We’ve helped 1.3+ million people. Along the way, we’ve resolved $15+ billion in debt.
Frequently Asked Questions: Debt Relief Consultation Calls
What happens when you call a debt consolidation company?
A consolidation specialist reviews your debts, income and monthly budget, explains the options you may qualify for and estimates how much you could save. The first call is an introduction to the program, and there’s no obligation to enroll.
Is the first consultation free?
Yes. A reputable company, including Accredited Debt Relief, offers a free, no-obligation consultation.
Are there upfront fees?
No. Our fees are success-based, and we won’t charge you a dime until you accept a resolution offer and make at least one payment under the new terms. Our program targets reducing your balance, which means you become debt-free faster and for less.
Will calling a debt consolidation company hurt my credit score?
No. The consultation call itself doesn’t affect your credit score. If the company runs a soft credit check to review your options, that won’t change your score either; Experian confirms soft inquiries don’t impact credit scores.
How much debt do I need to qualify?
We can help people with $5,000 or more in eligible unsecured debt. From there, a Certified Debt Specialist can evaluate you for options that cut eligible monthly payments by 40% or more, and clients typically become debt-free in 24-48 months.
What should I have ready before I call?
A rough total of what you owe, your take-home income after taxes and your basic monthly living costs. Your numbers don’t have to be exact.
How much can debt relief save me?
Most Accredited Debt Relief clients reduce eligible monthly payments by 40% or more — about $822 a month on average — and become debt-free in 24 to 48 months.
About The Top Dollar Blog by Accredited Debt Relief
The Top Dollar Blog is a publication by Accredited Debt Relief, a leading debt consolidation company that has helped more than 1.3 million clients take meaningful steps toward getting out of debt. Over the course of its work, the company has supported clients in resolving more than $15 billion in debt.
Accredited Debt Relief is a DBA of Beyond Finance that is recognized for its client-first approach and has earned multiple awards including the ConsumerAffairs Buyer’s Choice Awards for Customer Service, Overall Process and Best Value.
The company also maintains an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, accreditation from the Association for Consumer Debt Relief (ACDR) and an Excellent Trustpilot rating supported by thousands of five-star reviews.
The information on this site is provided as a general resource and does not constitute legal, tax, or financial advice. While Accredited Debt Relief makes every effort to ensure accuracy, this content, including any third-party sources referenced, should not be the basis for any financial decision. For guidance specific to your situation, we recommend consulting a qualified professional. Individual results may vary.