Setup Fee: 15%
Monthly Fee: None
Settlement Fee: None

TASC Members: No
BBB Complaints: 18

In Business Since: January 1998

Superior Debt Relief, also known as Superior Debt Relief Services, is a Colorado based debt settlement firm. Superior is not a TASC member but they are members of IAPDA or the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators, which is another regulatory body in the debt settlement industry. Superior charges the industry standard 15% of your total debt amount with no monthly fee.

Superior Debt Relief has been in business since January of 1998 and has been operating from their current location since October 2002, according to the better business bureau. Their BBB rating is a B- and the BBB has processed 18 complaints about the company in the past 3 years, with 5 of those coming in the last 12 months. Superior Debt Relief has been in business over 10 years, that is something pretty hard to come by in the debt settlement industry. They also have a fairly low numbers of complaints with the BBB, which is a good sign. They are not members of TASC but do belong to the IAPDA, an association I am not too familiar with.

Setup Fee: 10-15% (I was quoted 12%)
Monthly Fee: None
Settlement Fee: None

TASC Members: Yes
BBB Complaints: 0

In Business Since: June 2006

Eagle One Debt Solutions is a Pennsylvania based debt settlement company. Eagle One charges 10-15% of your total debt amount. I was quoted 12% with a $20,000 debt load. They break up that 12% over the first 18 months of your program. This is a nice bonus since most settlement companies put 100% of the first 3 payments towards their fees. Eagle One allows you to start saving immediately.

Eagle One Debt Solutions is a TASC member. Have been operating since June 2006 and have been listed with the BBB since February of 2007. They have zero complaints during that time period. Their explanation of their program was pretty upfront and honest. Their one potential negative could be that they have not been in business for an extended period. As always, please perform your due diligence.

• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Price: 8.5
• Service: 6.5

Setup Fee: 15%
Monthly Fee: $30
Settlement Fee: None

TASC Members: Yes
BBB Complaints: 0

In Business Since: June 2006

Capital Debt Settlement is a Fresno, CA based debt settlement company. The BBB gives them an A- rating, with zero complaints in the past 36 months. The business was incorporated in June 2006 but was started in April 2003, so they have been in business for some time. Capital charges the industry standard 15% of your total debt amount. They also charge a $30 monthly service fee. This makes them just slightly more expensive than the average.

Capital Debt Settlement is a TASC member. When you speak to them, they will also send you out a packet with what they call “Debt Talk”. This includes settlement letters from previous clients. This is something more settlement companies should be willing to do, though they are obviously just going to send you the best settlements they have achieved and those letters should NOT be considered average.

Setup Fee: 13.95%
Monthly Fee: None
Settlement Fee: None

TASC Members: Yes
BBB Complaints: 0

In Business Since: June 2006

America Debt Resolutions or ADR is a Dallas, TX based debt settlement company. ADR charges a flat 13.95% of your total debt. It’s a strange percentage but it lower than the industry average of 15%. They do not charge any monthly or settlement fees, which is also great. America Debt Resolutions allows you to save money in either your own bank or they can set up a separate account for you.

ADR has been in business since June of 2006. They have received zero BBB complaints in that time. They are also members of TASC. These are both great signs. ADR also allows their local clients to come into their offices and meet with their account managers. This personal touch is quite uncommon with debt settlement companies. As always, please do your due diligence but American Debt Resolutions seems to be a great choice.

Setup Fee: 15%
Monthly Fee: None
Settlement Fee: None

TASC Members: Yes
BBB Complaints: 139

In Business Since: December 2002

Freedom Debt Relief, which is part of the Freedom Financial Network, charges a standard 15% of your total debt amount. This 15% is spread out over the first 19 months of your program. Their programs range in length from 24 to 36 months. Freedom Debt Relief is one of the larger debt settlement companies in the nation. I was told they have over 50,000 active clients. This can be good or bad depending on the level of personal service you like to receive.

Freedom has received 139 Better Business Bureau complaints over the past 36 months. Of these 139 complaints, only 84 have been closed. This means 55 complaints are still outstanding and have received no resolution. FDR’s website shows them as being an accredited member of TASC, yet when I visit the TASC site and look at their business listing, they are only being shown as a regular member. You should ask about this discrepancy when shopping for their services.

• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Price: 1.0
• Service: 1.0

Setup Fee: 10-15%
Monthly Fee: None
Settlement Fee: None

TASC Members: No
BBB Complaints: 11

In Business Since: May 2006

New Horizons Debt Relief charges a fixed percentage of your total debt amount. I was quoted a 10% setup fee with a little over $20,000 in debt. I was not able to find out what sliding scale their percentages revolve around. One very strange thing and a definite warning sign, is that I was asked if I would like to charge my setup fee to a credit card! This is the first company that has ever offered this and definitely caught me off guard. To their credit, they also have an option where you can split up your setup fee over the first 12 months of your program, I am not sure if that option incurs any additional fees.

Their representative told me that they are members of both TASC and USOBA. However, there is no New Horizons Debt Relief to be found anywhere on the TASC website. This was a second huge warning sign. Since USOBA does not publish a member list, I was unable to verify their membership. I would be extremely careful with this company. Allowing persons who are already heavily indebted to charge $2,000 to their credit card is beyond irresponsible on their part. In addition, New Horizons has an F rating with the BBB and 11 complaints over the last 36 months.

Setup Fee: 15%
Monthly Fee: $38.75
Settlement Fee: None

TASC Members: Yes
BBB Complaints: 0

In Business Since: December 2006

Prestige Financial Solutions is a TASC accredited member. They also have an accredited status and an A- rating with the Better Business Bureau. Prestige charges 15% of your total debt amount and $38.75 per month which is made up of $30 per month in “maintenance charges” and $8.75 per month in banking charges. This makes them slightly more expensive than your average debt settlement company. Prestige Financial Solutions has been in business since December of 2006 according to the BBB, however, I was told they had been in business for five years by one of their representatives.

Prestige has a great record with the BBB, 0 complaints in the last 36 months and an accredited status. They are also an accredited member of TASC. Both of these factors may make the extra fees worthwhile for some consumers.

Setup Fee: 16%
Monthly Fee: None
Settlement Fee: None
Application Fee: $99

TASC Members: Yes
BBB Complaints: Unlisted

In Business Since: 2007 (According to D&B Information)

1st Freedom Debt Solution charges a flat $99 application fee and 16% of your total debt amount. This fee structure makes them a bit higher than most companies. The $99 does not really make much sense to me since they are taking your first few payments as fees anyway. The company is a member of TASC. They have also recently been running several radio ads to promote themselves.

I was told on the phone that their company has been in business for seven years. When I attempted to look 1st Freedom Debt Solution up with the Better Business Bureau, they were unlisted (generally true of companies less than a year old). Their Dunn and Bradstreet information also says the company was started in 2007. I am not sure why I was told they had been in business for so long, it does not give me a good feeling about them.

Setup Fee: See review
Monthly Fee: See review
Settlement Fee: See review

TASC Members: Yes
BBB Complaints: 0

In Business Since: January 2008

Blue Chip Debt Relief is a front-end only company. This means they process enrollments and sell them off to back-end companies who provide all the customer service, deal with creditors and negotiate your settlements. Blue Chip utilizes two back-end companies, which they describe as “options” during the enrollment process.

Option A: Nationwide Support Services
-15% fee + $42.50 monthly fee

Option B: Able Debt Settlement
-15% fee
-Save money in your own account

Blue Chip Debt Relief has only been in business since January of 2008. They have 0 complaints with the BBB but have an F rating. I do not see any advantage to using Blue Chip Debt Relief instead of calling one of their back-end companies directly.

Setup Fee: 14%
Monthly Fee: $0
Settlement Fee: 0%

TASC Members: No
BBB Complaints: 2

In Business Since: March 2004

Fidelity Debt Solutions, also known as Aaron Mortgage Group, is a California based debt settlement company. The company appears to have been a mortgage company that has switched over to debt settlement. I was told they had been in business for seven years on the phone. Their BBB record shows them as being in business for just over four years.

Fidelity Debt Solutions charges 14% of your total debt amount. They set up your program with two higher payments, which go directly to fees, the rest of your program is based on a flat monthly fee. They are not members of TASC. Although they do charge a reasonable fee and they have a good rating with the BBB, their switch from a mortgage to debt settlement company is not a good sign. Also, not being TASC members and having a staggered fee structure is not beneficial to the client.

• Overall Rating: 9.0
• Price: 9.0
• Service: 9.5