Accredited Debt Relief Review: Best Customer Experience for Managing High Debt

Best Customer Experience

4.4 _/5

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Debt Relief and Consolidation

• No initial or monthly account fees added to settlement fee
• Excellent customer experience based on thousands of Trustpilot and Better Business Bureau reviews
• Fixed biweekly or monthly payments
• Debt relief program fees are included in payment amounts
• Initial soft credit pull
• Empathetic debt relief consultants
• No prepayment penalties
• Monitor progress on company app

• Must stop paying all creditors, likely  for months
• Credit score will decrease
• Debt settlement fees are typically 25% of enrolled (not settled) debt amount
• No guarantee of settlement success
• Company website offers only limited details about the debt relief program
• Not available 19 states (state availability discussed below)

Accredited Debt Relief offers debt settlement programs and promotes debt consolidation loans through its parent company, Beyond Finance, which owns and operates Accredited as part of its financial services network. Accredited markets itself as a debt relief provider but often funnels qualified applicants to Beyond Finance personal loans, which are funded by partner banks to consolidate high-interest debt into one fixed monthly payment.

Min. required debt	$10,000
Settlement fee	Typically 25% of the total enrolled debt
Additional fees	None
How much can you save?	Accredited says its clients typically “cut eligible monthly payments by 40% or more” and “pay off debt in 24 to 48 months.”

Table of Contents

1. About Accredited and Beyond Finance
2. State availability
3. How it works
   1. 1. Free consultation
   2. 2. Program enrollment or loan offer
   3. 3. Stop creditor payments
   4. 4. Negotiation and settlements
4. Loans via Beyond Finance
   1. Consolidation loan vs. debt relief
5. Pros and cons
6. Is it legit?
7. Is it worth it?
8. Alternatives
9. FAQ 

About Accredited Debt Relief and Beyond Finance

Founded in 2011, Accredited Debt Relief is based in San Diego, California, and is a subsidiary of Beyond Finance, a Chicago-based fintech company specializing in debt resolution and personal loans. According to its “About Us” page:

• Accredited has helped resolve debt for more than 700,000 clients.
• The company has more than 2,000 employees nationwide.
• It’s accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

Here’s why Accredited’s relationship to Beyond Finance matters:

• Debt consolidation loan option: If you qualify, you could avoid settlement fees and credit score damage by using a Beyond Finance loan to pay off unsecured debt at a lower rate.
• Debt settlement program alternative: If you do not qualify for consolidation, Accredited offers a traditional settlement program with fixed biweekly or monthly payments over 24 to 48 months.

Before choosing Accredited Debt Relief or Beyond Finance, compare consolidation lenders and settlement companies to see which best fits your situation.

Is Accredited available in your state?

Accredited Debt Relief is available in 31 states and Washington, D.C. Its services are currently offered in:

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Florida
• Idaho
• Indiana
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• Oklahoma
• Pennsylvania
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Virginia
• Washington, D.C.

It is not available in: Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

How does Accredited Debt Relief work?

1. Free consultation

• Apply online or call for a consultation.
• Accredited performs a soft credit pull to assess your financial situation without affecting your score.

2. Program enrollment or loan offer

• If eligible for debt settlement: Accredited enrolls you in a program where you make fixed monthly or biweekly payments into an FDIC-insured escrow account.
• If eligible for consolidation: You may be offered a Beyond Finance personal loan funded by a partner bank to pay off your debts.

3. Stop creditor payments (settlement only)

For debt relief programs, you stop paying creditors while Accredited negotiates lower balances. This damages your credit in the short term but can reduce your total owed amount.

4. Negotiation and settlements

Once enough funds accumulate in escrow, Accredited negotiates with creditors. Typical settlement fees are 25% of enrolled debt.

Example:

Enrolled debt	$20,000
Negotiated debt	$12,000
Settlement fee (25%)	$5,000
Total paid	$17,000
Savings	$3,000

Debt Consolidation Loans via Beyond Finance

Beyond Finance personal loans are available to Accredited clients who qualify. Here’s how it works:

• Loan amounts: Up to $75,000 (varies by partner bank).
• Use: Pay off multiple high-interest debts, combining them into one payment.
• Why it’s appealing: Keeps your credit score intact (unlike settlement) and simplifies repayment with fixed rates.
• Potential drawbacks: Not all borrowers qualify. Interest rates depend on creditworthiness and may be higher than advertised.

Should you choose a consolidation loan or debt relief?

If you can qualify for a consolidation loan with favorable terms, it may be preferable to settlement because it avoids fees and negative credit impacts. However, if your debt is overwhelming and you can’t make monthly payments, settlement may be an option of last resort.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Debt consolidation or settlement options

• No upfront or monthly fees (fees are only settlement-based)

• Excellent customer reviews

• Soft credit pull for initial evaluation

• Empathetic consultants with strong Trustpilot ratings

• Dedicated app to track progress

• No prepayment penalties

Cons

• Settlement fees of ~25% of enrolled debt

• Negative credit score impact (settlement only)

• No guarantee of successful settlements

• Must stop creditor payments for settlement

• Must stop creditor payments for settlement

Is Accredited Debt Relief legit?

Yes. Accredited is:

• BBB-accredited with an A+ rating
• A member of the American Association for Debt Resolution

Platform	Rating	Number of reviews
BBB	4.89/5	2,947
Trustpilot	4.8/5	8,425
Google	4.8/5	11,315

In one Reddit discussion, multiple users share their experiences enrolling with Accredited Debt Relief, including program structure, settlement results, and credit impacts:

Accredited debt relief
byu/Acceptable_Skin_992 inDebt

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And here’s a Reddit thread with multiple perspectives on Accredited Debt Relief, Beyond Finance, and Five Lakes Law Group. Users discuss the pros, cons, and what to watch for if considering these programs:

Can anyone share their positive experiences with Beyond Finance / Accredited Debt Relief / Five Lakes Law Group?
byu/ImaginaryEntry_ inpersonalfinance

Is Accredited Debt Relief worth it?

Debt settlement should be your last resort due to credit score damage, fees, and legal risks. Before enrolling:

• Compare total settlement costs vs. paying interest on current debts.
• Explore consolidation loans, which may reduce your payments without harming credit. (Debt consolidation loans for bad credit may be an option.)
• Consider credit counseling, nonprofit debt consolidation, or a DIY debt repayment plan if you have reliable income.

Before you enroll, explore options with personal finance companies that may offer better solutions for paying off debt.

Debt relief makes sense in certain scenarios, and Accredited can be an excellent fit in these cases. Some borrowers share positive Beyond Finance experiences, noting that while their credit scores dropped, the structured payment plans helped them become debt-free. For example, this Reddit user describes completing the Beyond program and regaining financial stability:

Beyond Finance, an actual success story.
byu/NazasDad indebtfree

Alternatives to Accredited Debt Relief

Our team has rated several debt relief providers. We think two excellent alternatives to consider are:

• National Debt Relief has far more reach than Accredited.
• Freedom Debt Relief requires just $7,500 in debt, compared to Accredited’s $10,000 minimum.

FAQ 

Will working with Accredited hurt my credit?

Yes, working with Accredited Debt Relief—or any debt relief company—can damage your credit. Debt settlement programs typically require you to stop paying creditors, resulting in late payment marks on your credit report. This is a standard practice across the industry and a necessary step to build leverage for negotiations.

However, many clients find that the long-term benefit of resolving significant debt outweighs the short-term impact on their credit.

Do I need a minimum credit score to work with Accredited?

No, Accredited Debt Relief does not require a minimum credit score to enroll. Its focus is on helping individuals manage unsecured debt, regardless of credit score, but it will assess your financial situation to determine the program’s suitability.

How long does it take to settle my debt?

The time frame varies depending on your debt amount and ability to make consistent program payments, but most clients can expect a typical program to last between 24 to 48 months.

Is there a minimum amount of debt I need?

Yes; Accredited Debt Relief requires a minimum of $10,000 in unsecured debt to enroll in its debt relief program. This amount aligns with its structure to reduce client balances through settlement.

How we rated Accredited Debt Relief

We designed LendEDU’s editorial rating system to help readers find companies that offer the best debt relief programs. Our system awards higher ratings to companies with affordable solutions, positive customer reviews, and online transparency of benefits and terms.

We compared Accredited to several debt relief companies, using hundreds of data points from company websites, public disclosures, customer reviews, and direct communication with company representatives. We weighted, scored, and combined each factor to produce a final editorial rating. This rating is expressed on a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest possible score. Our take is represented in our rating and best-for designation, recapped below.