Looking for Citizens debt Relief Reviews? We got you!
As a debt relief company located in New York City, Citizens Debt Relief helps regular American citizens settle, resolve, or manage their credit card debt.
It does this by first offering a free consultation and guiding you in determining the best course of action to settle your debt.
Because the company understands how daunting debt management can be, it takes a unique and individualized approach to each case, which involves one-on-one credit counseling with licensed professionals.
Citizens Debt Relief claims that it can help you develop a plan to settle and erase the debt that works for you, irrespective of your budget.
Citizens Debt Relief has several accreditations, which gives clients looking for debt relief peace of mind.
The firm is a member of the American Fair Credit Council, a recognized member of the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA), and a Consumer Affairs approved partner.
Summary
| Portal | Citizens Debt Relief |
| Founded | 2017 |
| Minimum Debt Settlement Requirement | Not disclosed |
| Fees | 15% – 25% of enrolled debt |
| Features | Monthly payment, Free consultation, debt consolidation option |
| Number of reviews | 73 |
| Community Rating | Strong |
| Website | Click Here |
Key Takeaways
- Citizens Debt Relief is CDRI-certified and offers services all over the United States.
- It offers services including credit counseling, debt consolidation, debt resolution, home equity and financing, and more.
- Over a period of 12-48 months, Citizens Debt Relief claims to reduce your debt upto 40-60%, excluding their fees.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- CDRI-certified
- Free credit counseling
- It helps reduce 40% – 60% of your debt excluding fees.
- Offers its services all over the US
- Provides helpful resources
Cons
- Does not disclose pricing information
- Does not disclose minimum debt requirement
- It May hurt your credit score
Also Check Out: Top 10 Best Debt Relief Companies
Citizens Debt Relief Reviews – Our Take
We think that Citizens Debt Relief is an excellent choice for those looking for debt relief services.
The company has several accreditations and takes a unique and individualized approach to each case.
We also appreciate the company’s free consultation to help you determine the best course of action.
Overall, we think that Citizens Debt Relief is an excellent option for those looking for debt relief services.
Key Features
The Citizens Debt Relief provides a wide range of debt solutions to its customers, including credit counseling, debt consolidation, debt resolution, home equity and financing, and more.
Citizens Debt Relief’s credit counseling services begin with a skilled credit counselor reviewing your financial situation, negotiating with creditors to reduce your interest rates if achievable, and helping you in developing a financial plan so that you can begin repaying your debt going forward.
Some upsides of using Citizens Debt Relief’s credit counseling services include making only one monthly payment, potentially achieving lower interest rates, and not receiving collection calls because Citizens Debt Relief will handle your case.
Citizens Debt Relief provides a debt consolidation option. You can take out a single loan and use it to pay off several debts, then work on repaying the single loan at a lower interest rate than your previous debts had.
Also Read How Does Debt Consolidation Work?
This option also features a single straightforward monthly payment, and the firm offers variable terms, but we’re not sure what they are.
Debt resolution entails you dealing with Citizens Debt Relief to pay monthly repayments into an account.
The firm then negotiates with your creditors on your behalf to have them accept less money than you owe.
Citizens Debt Relief will then use the funds you have been depositing into the account to pay down your debt(s) until the debt is settled.
You can also consolidate some of your credit card debt by consulting with Citizens Debt Relief and a mortgage lender to take out a second mortgage on your house if you already have one.
Company Overview
What Is Citizens Debt Relief?
Citizens Debt Relief is a debt settlement firm based in New York specializing in complete debt relief options.
The company assists customers in negotiating settlements with creditors in order to reduce or erase their debts for less than the initial amount owed.
This is done by the corporation working directly with debtors to arrive at a reasonable price or alternative that seems fair to both sides.
Citizens Debt Relief offers a program known as the “Citizens Solution.”
It also offers a free consultation to new customers and has professionals available to assist you in determining if you are suitable for its debt management solutions.
The company understands that managing debt can be extremely stressful.
Therefore, each debt settlement case is handled uniquely and individually, including one-on-one credit counseling with trained professionals.
Fees
Although its rates are not disclosed on its website, Citizens Debt Relief claims to offer variable pricing.
Citizens Debt Relief does not have any price information provided. Thus we do not know how much the company’s services will cost.
Typically, debt relief firms do not charge money until they help you in starting to resolve your debts.
However, we cannot tell what the initial fees or interest rates would be to enlist Citizens Debt Relief’s assistance.
Regardless, the organization does not charge any fees until your registered debt has been effectively decreased.
Contact the firm for a free consultation to better understand how much debt relief would cost you.
Types of Debts Addressed
Citizens Debt Relief may be able to assist clients with unsecured consumer debt.
Still, the company does not provide relief for debt secured by collateral, such as a mortgage, car, or federal student loans.
Citizens Debt Relief can help you pay off the following debts:
Medical Bills
Citizens Debt Relief may help you settle for less than you owe if you have medical debts or past-due medical bills that are so high that you are unable to pay them off.
Credit Card Debt
Due to the unsecured nature of the debt and the high-interest rates connected with it, credit card debt is often included in debt settlement agreements.
According to Citizens Debt Relief, store card debt may also be included.
Private Student Loans
Private student loans may be negotiated as part of a debt settlement agreement.
On the other hand, federal student loans are federally guaranteed and so cannot be disputed.
Personal Loans and Lines of Credit
Unsecured personal loans and unsecured bank lines of credit may be eligible for debt settlement.
Get Started With Citizens Debt Relief
The process for getting started with Citizens Debt Relief is fairly simple.
First, the company will create an FDIC-insured account to deposit your monthly payments.
Your money will be safe in this account, and you will be able to withdraw it at any time. (However, doing so would make your debt-reduction plan unsuccessful.)
Citizens Debt Relief will contact your creditors after you have enrolled in the program.
Then, once you’ve saved enough money (which usually takes two to four years), the actual negotiating starts.
Citizens Debt Relief will first attempt to negotiate the lowest possible sum for your debt settlement.
The money in the account will then be applied to your overdue debts, essentially settling them.
Debt Relief Time
The average time for relief is dependent on a couple of factors including the debt amount, the willingness of the creditor to accept it, and so on.
If you are lucky you might be able to get clear of your debt in one to three months, but in most cases, it takes 12-48 months.
Savings
You can save 40%-60% of your debt excluding fees if you decide to go for Citizens Debt Relief’s program.
Disadvantages Of Debt Relief
Surely debt settlement liberates you from a burdensome debt situation, but it also comes with a few disadvantages that you must know of:
- You will need to pay a high-interest rate to your debt relief company once your debt is settled. This interest rate is usually very high and ranges between 14-30%.
- It might happen that your creditor might not agree to a settlement; in that case, dealing with him would be difficult.
- You will need to pay tax on your debt if the settled amount is more than $600
Customer Service
Citizens Debt Relief provides phone support to existing and potential clients five days a week. Unfortunately, customer service is not available on weekends.
Contact 1-800-560-3956 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. PT, Monday through Saturday, to talk with a debt consultant.
Additionally, you can visit their office in New York or email them at [email protected]
You can also drop Citizens Debt Relief a message on its social media pages.
NPC Citizens Debt Relief Ratings
| Type | Rating |
| Customer Service | 4.3/5 |
| Responsive | 4.8/5 |
| Affordable | 4/5 |
| Debt Settlement help | 4.8/5 |
| Ease of use | 4.8/5 |
Customer Rating
We looked at various third-party sources to get a sense of what it’s like to deal with Citizens Debt Relief. The firm has a 4.3/5 rating on Trustpilot.
Many reviews said that Citizens Debt Relief was able to assist them in effectively settling their debt.
They also said that the company kept its promises and connected with them regularly.
Negative reviews included complaints about the amount of time it took to settle debts and the size of the costs, implying that it would be less expensive to do it yourself.
People tend to be pleased with their experience with Citizens Debt Relief and like the level of contact.
What Differentiates It From Others?
Some of the key things that make it unique are given below.
- It is CDRI certified.
- Provides you with a 40 to 60% reduction in debt excluding fees.
- Has Various helpful resources available.
- It offers step by step plan to reduce debt.
Our Experience With The Product
For the past three months, I have been working with Citizens, and they have helped me get a settlement on 2 of my accounts. Their team is very helpful and cooperative.
However, sometimes they are late in responding to emails, but they are very professional overall.
They develop an ideal plan which makes it easier to settle the debt.
Comparison
| Company | CuraDebt | Citizens Debt Relief |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2000 | 2017 |
| Minimum Debt Settlement Requirement | $5000 | Not disclosed |
| Features | Allocates case manager, Free consultation, etc. | Monthly payment, Free consultation, etc. |
| Fees | 20% of the total enrolled debt | 15% – 25% percent of enrolled debt |
| Relief Time | 24 to 48 months | 24 to 48 months |
| Savings | 50% excluding fees | 40%-60% excluding fees |
| BBB rating | Not accredited | Not accredited |
| Trustpilot Rating | 4.1 | 4.3 |
Also Read CuraDebt Reviews
How We Review Debt Relief Companies
When looking for a reputable and reliable debt relief company, it is important to understand our methodology to review them.
We begin by examining the company’s website to get a general understanding of the services they offer.
We then look at what kind of reviews the company has received from past and current clients.
This provides us with a good overview of the company’s strengths and weaknesses.
Next, we review the fees associated with the services and compare them with other companies in the industry.
We also look at the company’s licensing and registration and their Better Business Bureau rating.
Read Our Detailed Debt Relief Review Methodology
Final Verdict
In this article, we saw that Citizens Debt Relief offers various debt relief services, including debt consolidation, credit counseling, debt resolution, etc.
For a fee of 15%-25% of the enrolled debt, you can end up saving 40%-60% excluding fees within 24-48 months.
Overall, Citizens Debt Relief is a good company, but if you want to hand this serious responsibility only in the best hands, then you should choose National debt relief.
This company holds a great reputation online but offers only debt settlement help. To get started, you need to have a minimum debt of $7,500, and within a period of 24-48 months, you can expect to save upto 30% of the enrolled debt, including fees.
FAQs
What is Citizens Debt Relief?
Citizens Debt Relief is a debt relief company that offers debt settlement and relief services.
Is Citizens Debt Relief reliable?
Yes, Citizens Debt Relief is a reliable company with a good reputation.
The firm has been in business for over 10 years and has helped settle millions of dollars in debt.
Can Citizens Debt Relief help me settle all my debts?
Citizens Debt Relief will work to negotiate the lowest possible sum for your debt settlement.
However, they cannot guarantee that they will be able to settle all of your debts.
Is Citizens Debt Relief legit?
Yes, Citizens Debt Relief is legit and is even a member of the Consumer Debt Relief Initiative and American Fair Credit Council.
Does Citizens Debt Relief offers free consulation?
Yes, they offer a free consultation which is the industry standard.
Shefali Jain is a Content Editor & Writer at National Planning Cycles.
After completing her graduation in hospitality, Shefali decided to follow her passion and started writing. Shefali has been writing for two years now and contributes to our website as a skilled editor and content writer with strong research skills. Writing product and service reviews, biographies, and book reviews are some of her key areas, among many others in which she specializes.