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Awareness and Self-Compassion: Two Powerful Tools for Chronic Pain

Filed Under: SUCCESS, Tiny Buddha

“Pain is not wrong. Reacting to pain as wrong initiates the tangle of emotional resistance against what is already happening.” ~Tara Brach

The wooden meditation hall creaked softly as sixty people shifted in their seats, trying to find comfort in the silence. Outside, winter rain tapped against the windows, a gentle metronome marking time. I sat cross-legged on my black cushion, watching sweat trickle down my temple despite the cool air. My legs burned as if I’d been running for hours, though I hadn’t moved in forty-five minutes.

It was day three of my first six-day silent meditation retreat, and I was learning my first profound lesson about physical pain—not from my meditation teacher, but from my protesting body. Little did I know that this experience would become a crucial foundation for navigating a far greater challenge that lay ahead.

The pain started as a whisper in my lower back, a gentle suggestion that perhaps I should adjust my posture. Within minutes it grew to a shout, then a scream. While other practitioners appeared serene, their faces soft and bodies still, I was waging an internal war. Every few minutes, I’d shift my weight slightly, trying to find that elusive comfortable position. The cushion that had felt so perfect during the orientation session now seemed as unyielding as concrete.

The meditation instructions echoed in my mind: “Just sit and observe your breath.” But my body had other plans. Each inhale brought awareness of new discomfort—a sharp knife in my hip, a dull ache in my shoulders, pins and needles racing down my calves. The physical sensations became my entire world, drowning out any hope of focusing on my breath.

I tried everything. Different cushions borrowed from the prop closet. Various positions—Burmese, half-lotus, kneeling. I even snuck to the back of the hall to lean against the wall, feeling like a meditation failure as I watched the straight backs of more experienced practitioners ahead of me.

Then, on day four, something shifted. Perhaps it was exhaustion from fighting my experience, or maybe it was the wisdom of surrender, but I finally heard what my teacher had been saying all along: “Don’t try to change what’s arising; just be with it with kindness.”

For the first time, I stopped trying to fix my discomfort. Instead, I got curious about it. What did the pain actually feel like? Was it constant, or did it pulse? Where exactly did it begin and end? As I explored these questions with genuine interest rather than resistance, something remarkable happened—while the physical sensations remained, my suffering began to decrease.

“In the midst of pain is the whole teaching,” Pema Chödrön’s words would become my lifeline two years later, when a back injury transformed my relationship with pain from a periodic challenge into a constant companion. I would join the ranks of millions living with chronic pain—a silent epidemic that affects more than one in five adults globally.

While medicine can sometimes dull the sharp edges of physical suffering, many of us learn that managing chronic pain requires more than just medication. It demands a complete reimagining of our relationship with our bodies and with pain itself.

The lessons from that meditation hall now played out in vivid detail through every moment of my daily life. Simple tasks became exercises in mindful movement. Getting out of bed required a careful choreography of breath and motion. Picking up a dropped pen became a practice in patience and body awareness. Each movement called for the same careful attention I’d learned to bring to meditation.

The physical pain was just the beginning. In the darkness of sleepless nights, lying on my floor because no other position brought relief, my mind raced with endless worries: Would I ever recover? Could I continue counseling my clients in person? How would I pay the mounting medical bills? These thoughts circled like hungry wolves, testing the limits of my newfound practice of acceptance.

Working as a therapist brought its own unique challenges. I vividly remember sitting across from clients, maintaining my therapeutic presence while searing pain radiated from my tailbone through my entire spine. Each session became a practice in dual awareness—being present for my clients while acknowledging my own experience. Some days, the effort to maintain this balance left me depleted, with barely enough energy to drive home.

There was also the exhausting social dance of chronic pain. The simple question “How are you?” became complicated. Telling people about the constant pain felt burdensome after a while. No one wants to always be the person who’s suffering. So instead, I’d smile and say, “I’m fine,” swallowing the truth along with the discomfort. These small acts of concealment created their own kind of fatigue, a lonely space between the public face and private reality.

I invite you to pause and reflect on your own relationship with pain. When discomfort arises, what stories does your mind create about it?

Notice how your body responds—the subtle tightening, the wish to push away what’s difficult. Consider what it might feel like to create just a little space around your pain, like opening a window in a stuffy room.

Sometimes I think of pain as an unwanted house guest. We didn’t invite it, we don’t want it to stay, but fighting its presence only creates more tension in our home. Instead, we can acknowledge it’s here, set appropriate boundaries, and continue living our lives around it. Some days we might even discover unexpected gifts in its presence—a deeper appreciation for good moments, increased empathy for others’ struggles, or the discovery of our own resilience.

Working with pain mindfully reveals that healing happens on multiple levels. When we respond to physical discomfort with gentle awareness, we start noticing how our thoughts create narratives about the pain, how emotions arise in waves, and how our nervous system responds to kind attention. Through this practice, we can learn to expand our attention beyond the pain, discovering that even in difficult moments, there is also the warmth of sunlight on our face, the sound of birds outside our window, the taste of morning coffee.

Years later, my pain isn’t as severe, but it remains a daily companion. I carry a back pillow everywhere as if it’s an accessory, mindfully choosing which events to attend and for how long. Gardening, once a carefree joy, has become an exercise in presence—each movement an opportunity to listen to my body’s wisdom. Some days still find me lying on the floor, being with whatever my body is expressing in that moment.

But there’s a profound difference now. Where I once pushed through pain with gritted teeth, I’ve learned to respond to my body’s signals with care and compassion.

This shift feels especially valuable as I age, knowing that new physical challenges will likely arise. Each twinge and ache is no longer an enemy to vanquish but a reminder to pay attention, to move more slowly, to tend to myself with kindness.

The clock in that meditation hall taught me about impermanence—how even the most challenging moments eventually pass. My back injury taught me about acceptance and resilience. Together, these experiences showed me that while we can’t always choose what happens to our bodies, we can choose how we meet these experiences with awareness and compassion. In doing so, we discover that peace isn’t found in the absence of pain but in our capacity to be with it skillfully.

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About Katie Fleming Thomas

Katie is a trauma-informed psychotherapist, meditation teacher, and guide who helps others cultivate mindfulness and resilience. She is the creator of Freebird Meditations, offering transformative guided practices, and ZenQuit, a mindfulness-based nicotine cessation program. When not guiding others, she finds meditation in everyday life, gardening, baking sourdough, dancing, and hiking with her husband and animals. She believes true transformation happens when we turn inward with curiosity and compassion.

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Opinion: The Liberation According to Donald Trump

Filed Under: Luxury Lifestyle

In our hostile environment, it is every nation for itself. The lubricant of economies — globalisation — is on its last breath. While just yesterday, nations collaborated to draft laws and regulations they pledged to uphold, they are now breaking apart past alliances and consensus. Through subsidies and tariffs, they are scrambling to promote their own industries while undermining those of their neighbours and former partners. No longer a temporary response to a crisis, protectionism has become a structural element of the new global economy.

One must not place the blame solely on Trump, as trade barriers were being erected well before his return to the White House in 2025 — primarily against China, accused of flooding the world with cheap electric vehicles, steel and other finished products. South Korea and Vietnam took action as early as last February, under pressure from national industries crushed by Chinese competition. Indonesia moved to raise taxes on all Chinese goods wrapped in nylon. Across the world, Mexico launched anti-dumping investigations into Chinese chemical and plastic products. Canada, in October 2024, imposed 100% tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and 25% on Chinese steel and aluminum. That same month, the European Union — once the high priestess of free trade — introduced tariffs of up to 35.3% on imported Chinese electric vehicles. Even Russia, China’s “special partner,” legislated to tax Chinese cars, which now make up half of new sales compared to just 10% in 2022.

According to Global Trade Alert, a Switzerland-based trade monitor, 4,650 import restrictions were in place across G20 economies as of March 2025 — ten times more than in 2008. This is a deep-rooted trend, one that had already taken hold under President Biden. In fact, Global Trade Alert reports that import restrictions now affect 90% of the 5,200 product categories classified in the U.S., compared to just 50% at the start of Trump’s first term. The Tax Foundation, a U.S. think tank, warns that American import tariffs have returned to 1946 levels — ”the highest in 90 years,” according to Fitch Ratings.

That being said, Trump’s second term heralds an outright explosion of tariffs, taxes and trade barriers. A massive wave of trade realignment is sweeping across the globe. Even Trump’s close advisers are struggling to rein in his enthusiasm, as he publicly regrets having been moderated during his first term. He is now considering a universal tariff on all goods from all countries, making tariffs the defining policy of his presidency. One way or another, we are on the brink of a foundational escalation — a “Liberation,” as Trump calls it — set to start yesterday April 2, 2025.

The goal of this protectionist surge is to fill the Treasury’s coffers and restore lost jobs. According to the U.S. administration, only a drastic reduction in the trade deficit can reindustrialise the country and better serve its blue-collar workers. This premise, however, is flawed, as it places disproportionate importance on industrial jobs, even though the service sector has become the primary source of employment.

To achieve its objectives, the administration is intervening directly and massively to reshape the economy. This is ironic — and highly contradictory — for both Trump and his electorate, who have long advocated for reducing the power of the state. And yet, here is the state, now more powerful than ever, expected to restore Americans’ “freedom” and economic sovereignty.

For more on the author, Michel Santi and his exclusive opinion pieces visit his website here: michelsanti.fr

For more on the latest in global economic and business reads, click here.

The post Opinion: The Liberation According to Donald Trump appeared first on LUXUO.

5 Best Debt Relief Companies of April 2025

Filed Under: Money.com, SUCCESS

Debt relief isn’t a quick fix for money problems. The process, also called debt settlement or debt resolution, involves paying a company to negotiate with your creditors in hopes of getting them to agree to settle for a sum that’s less than you owe. It’s a growing industry: Debt relief companies reported a nearly 40% growth in settlements between 2018 and 2022, according to the most recent study published by an industry trade group.

What to know about debt relief

  • We only recommend debt relief when other, more favorable options aren’t viable; debt consolidation loans and credit counseling often make better financial sense for borrowers.
  • Debt relief companies will recommend that you stop paying creditors to try and increase their bargaining power, almost certainly to the detriment of your credit score.
  • A debt relief program can enable you to settle your accounts for less than you owe, although you may be responsible for paying taxes on forgiven debt.
  • Not all kinds of debt are eligible for debt relief, and there’s no guarantee your creditors will accept the settlement proposed by the debt relief company.
  • Read more about how debt relief works and whether you should pursue it.

How we chose our top picks

We analyzed the offerings from nearly 20 debt relief companies to determine our top picks. Criteria we considered included costs, transparency, breadth of services provided, customer support and reputation. (Fees cited below are for enrolled debt; interest charges and penalties for missed payments can increase that amount prior to settlement.) We obtained information about the companies listed by reaching out to them and evaluating the information available on their websites. We also researched third-party review sites along with industry regulatory and enforcement agencies.

See our full methodology.

Our top picks for best debt relief companies of April 2025

The companies listed below are organized in alphabetical order.


Pros

  • Highly ranked on third-party review sites
  • Debt consolidation loans also available
  • Blog offers helpful budgeting, spending advice

Cons

  • No information on website about account fees or other costs
  • Minimum debt for eligibility not provided on website
  • Cannot track progress online like some competitor platforms

HIGHLIGHTS

Accreditation
American Association for Debt Resolution (via corporate parent Beyond Finance)
Typical program length
24 to 48 months
Additional services offered
Debt consolidation loans
Typical settlement fees
25%

Why we chose it: Accredited Debt Relief has very high rankings on multiple third-party consumer review platforms. It has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), a 4.89 (out of 5) ranking and a low number of complaints. Out of a possible five stars, it has 4.9 stars on Trustpilot and 4.8 stars on Google. We also appreciate the company’s “Top Dollar” blog, which offers useful financial advice and tips on budgeting, spending and saving money.

The Accredited Debt Relief website indicates that its debt settlement programs take between 24 and 48 months to complete, which is typical for the industry. While most companies cite a fee range, Accredited’ website is more transparent by disclosing that its fee is “usually” 25%. However, a statement on its homepage that says, “This won’t affect your credit score!” is misleading in that it gives consumers the impression that its debt settlement program won’t affect your credit score. In reality, only the initial consultation won’t affect your credit score. Only at the very bottom of the homepage — below the information about its fee — does the company disclose that debt settlement “may adversely affect your credit for a time.”

If you decide that debt settlement isn’t a good choice for you, Accredited works with affiliates that offer debt consolidation loans.

Read our full review of Accredited Debt Relief.

Pros

  • Can settle IRS and state tax debt
  • Can settle business as well as personal debt

Cons

  • Fee information not disclosed on website
  • Not available in IL, KS, OR, TN, UT, VI and WV for consumer debt relief
  • Not available in PA, PR, MN and IL for tax debt relief

HIGHLIGHTS

Accreditation
American Association for Debt Resolution (AADR), International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA)
Typical program length
36 to 48 months
Additional services offered
Business debt relief, business tax debt relief
Typical settlement fees
15% to 25%

Why we chose it: Most debt relief companies settle unsecured debts such as credit cards, personal loans and medical debt. Curadebt is one of the few accredited members of the American Association for Debt Resolution (formerly known as the American Fair Credit Council) that can help you settle federal and state tax debt, as well.

Curadebt can help settle business debt, including business tax debt. Clients generally need at least $10,000 in debt to enroll in a debt settlement program, which typically takes 36 to 48 months to complete. Curadebt’s employees are accredited by the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators and the company has been in business since 2001.

Pros

  • Website is very informative, with detailed information on costs and fees
  • Quicker average program completion timeline than many competitors
  • Good reputation on third-party sites like BBB

Cons

  • Fees of 25% in most states are higher than some competitors
  • Add-on legal service costs $39.95 a month

HIGHLIGHTS

Accreditation
Consumer Debt Resolution Initiative (CRDI), IAPDA
Typical program length
Historical average of 32 months
Additional services offered
Debt consolidation loans
Typical settlement fees
20% to 25%, depending on the state

Why we chose it: The debt relief industry doesn’t exactly have a reputation for transparency. DebtBlue is the exception to that rule, with an informative website that explains both the process and its costs in plain English. It prominently discloses information about the third-party costs debt relief customers pay for establishing and maintaining an account to hold their accrued funds. Their costs are in line with the industry standard — roughly $10 to open the account and then $10 a month — but most companies don’t proactively disclose this information, or make it hard to find. DebtBlue also helpfully explains that customers may incur nominal charges for some creditor payments, as well. Given the number of complaints, industry-wide, debt relief customers make on review sites and with regulatory agencies about costs they weren’t expecting, DebtBlue is a notable departure from the norm.

DebtBlue’s rating on third-party sites like the BBB and Trustpilot is also better than most. In addition, we noted that the company provides individualized responses to many complaints logged with the BBB, rather than using a form letter or ignoring these posts entirely.

Pros

  • No additional charge for legal assistance
  • Highly-rated mobile app
  • $7,500 minimum debt

Cons

  • Lower BBB rating than some competitors
  • Settled a $9.75 million class-action lawsuit in 2024 for Telephone Consumer Protection Act violations

HIGHLIGHTS

Accreditation
AADR, IAPDA
Typical program length
39 months
Additional services offered
Debt consolidation loans
Typical settlement fees
15% – 25%

Why we chose it: Most people’s biggest fear when entering into a debt settlement program is the prospect of being sued by creditors. While many debt relief companies offer ancillary legal assistance to help customers deal with creditors, this protection and peace of mind generally comes at a cost — usually between $20 and $40 a month on top of the other charges and fees debt relief customers pay.

Freedom Debt Relief is unique in that it offers all customers legal assistance for no additional charge. This service can help if customers are getting harassing phone calls or if creditors take legal action. It also offers a performance guarantee.

Freedom Debt Relief also has a lower minimum threshold than some of its competitors, requiring only $7,500 of unsecured debt to enroll in a debt relief program rather than the $10,000 minimum some impose. While an accredited member of the AADR, the company did settle a lawsuit with the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau in 2019, for charging consumers without settling their debts as promised and otherwise misleading them.

Freedom Debt Relief also offers debt relief and consolidation services in Spanish, and it offers a highly rated, free mobile app for customers to manage their debt settlement progress.

Read our full review of Freedom Debt Relief.

Pros

  • Shorter typical duration for clients who complete program
  • $7,500 minimum debt

Cons

  • Company would not disclose what percentage of clients complete program
  • Account fees ($9 setup fee plus $9.85 monthly) not disclosed on website

HIGHLIGHTS

Accreditation
AADR, IAPDA
Typical program length
34 months
Additional services offered
Debt consolidation loans , bankruptcy referrals
Typical settlement fees
25%, except in states with lower caps

Why we chose it: The debt settlement process is not speedy. Most debt relief companies advise people to expect a timeline of between 24 and 48 months. While many advertise how quickly a customer might get an initial settlement from a creditor, this is only the first step. Many companies cite an average of three to four years as typical for reaching out and negotiating with all your creditors.

National Debt Relief says its typical customer who completes a debt settlement program does so in 34 months. A faster completion not only frees customers from the stress and financial strain of debt, but allows them to begin rebuilding their credit more quickly.

National Debt Relief also has a lower minimum debt threshold than some, requiring $7,500 rather than the $10,000 minimum some of its competitors require.

Finally, National Debt Relief offers resources in Spanish.

Read our full review of National Debt Relief.

Other debt relief companies we considered

New Era Debt Solutions

New Era Debt Solutions has been in business for 25 years and has a decent reputation as per the BBB. Although the company’s fee (14% to 23% of enrolled debt) is in line with industry norms, this fee information is hard to find on the website. The monthly $18.95 account fee customers have to pay is high for the industry, and that cost isn’t disclosed on the website at all.

Pacific Debt Relief

Pacific Debt Relief’s 18% to 25% fees are in line with industry norms, and it has a partnership with a lender to offer consolidation loans, potentially helping people get out of debt faster. The $10 monthly fee customers pay for escrow account service is typical, but that information isn’t disclosed on the website.

To qualify for debt settlement, customers generally must have a minimum of $10,000 in unsecured debt, although the company says that in “some circumstances” it may accept customers with as little as $7,500 in debt. However, Pacific Debt Relief is less accessible than competitors, as customers don’t have an online account or portal.

TurboDebt

TurboDebt has an excellent reputation on third-party review sites and the fees it charges are in line with industry norms. Its website is available in English and Spanish; however, the website doesn’t have information about ancillary fees. In addition, be aware that TurboDebt has accrued a fair number of complaints about unsolicited or repetitive phone calls.

What you need to know about debt relief

Debt relief companies — also called debt settlement or debt resolution companies — claim they can negotiate with creditors to reduce the amount of debt owed by their clients. The industry isn’t without controversy, and there are risks you need to be aware of, including the possibility that you could be sued by creditors and the likelihood that your credit will be damaged.

Some indicators that you may want to consider debt relief/debt settlement include:

  • You’re late on or are missing payments
  • You’re having trouble budgeting for your payments
  • You’re not making any progress on paying off your debts
  • Your debts keep growing
  • You’re considering bankruptcy

To learn more, read our full guide on what debt relief is and how it works.

Is debt relief right for you?

Because of its likely negative impact on your credit score and associated risks, debt resolution may not be the best choice for everyone. Getting a debt consolidation loan, a balance transfer credit card or working with a credit counselor or other debt management program may be preferable to get out of debt.

On the other hand, if you’re overwhelmed by debt, can’t keep up with payments and can’t secure a loan or credit card with a more favorable rate, debt settlement may be a viable option.

Alternative options to debt relief programs

Entering into a debt relief program shouldn’t be undertaken lightly. If you have debts that you’re struggling to pay off, consider other options for getting a handle on these obligations.

Debt management

Debt management and debt settlement might sound similar — and some companies make it confusing by conflating the two terms, or referring to both as debt relief — but they are very different in reality. A debt management plan is not a loan and doesn’t reduce the amount of your debt, but it does typically reduce interest and fees, which make it easier and quicker to pay back your debts.

You set up a debt management plan with the help of a (typically nonprofit) credit counseling organization. The counselor negotiates directly with creditors on your behalf to lower interest rates, waive fees and minimize payments. Credit counselors can also help advise you on the best ways to improve your credit score, repair bad credit and deal with debt problems. You can find a credit counseling organization through the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.

Debt consolidation loans

A debt consolidation loan is a personal loan that lets you combine and consolidate other high-interest debts into one monthly payment. Ideally, the loan rate will be lower than your current debts, allowing you to pay less in the long run. For more information, check out our debt consolidation guide and top picks for the best debt consolidation companies.

Negotiate with creditors and collection agencies

It is possible to negotiate with individual creditors and debt collection agencies yourself. Essentially, you are doing the same thing as a debt settlement agency. You’ll need to educate yourself about the process and be willing to spend a lot of time on the phone, as well as conduct all the necessary follow-up to ensure that you get any agreement you reach in writing, and that the debt is noted as settled on your credit report. It requires determination along with a thick skin.

Bankruptcy

Filing for bankruptcy isn’t something to take lightly. It’s considered a last resort, but might be the best option in certain circumstances. While some bankruptcy settlements can wipe out your debts, though, be aware that some loans — like federal student loans — usually cannot be discharged in bankruptcy. Bankruptcy also will have a significant negative impact on your credit report.

How to choose a debt relief program

Selecting a debt relief company requires careful consideration. Even if you’re overwhelmed with your debt bills, it’s still essential to take the time for thorough research, as even legitimate companies need to be vetted.

Beware of potential scams. Red flags to watch out for include a provider that guarantees debt reduction, asks for upfront fees or for set-up fees before providing services.

When choosing a debt relief company, consider the following:

  • Reputation and accreditation – The American Association for Debt Resolution (AADR, previously called the American Fair Credit Council) is an accrediting organization that monitors and audits debt relief companies as well as conducts research on the debt relief industry. In addition, the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA) offers education to the debt relief company employees that work with customers and creditors.
  • Customer Reviews – Review customer feedback on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Trustpilot and other sites. Occasional bad reviews are typical, but consistent negative patterns may warrant concern. Assess how the company addresses complaints; active engagement and resolving issues indicate reliability.
  • Fees – By law, debt relief companies cannot charge upfront fees. They can only charge you once at least one creditor agrees to a settlement. Verify all fees and payment details, including fees you might have to pay a third-party company to establish and manage an account with money used for settlements. Debt relief companies typically charge a percentage of the amount of debt you enroll; confirm this with a representative in advance.
  • Accessibility – How easy is it to get hold of a company rep? Given the impact a debt settlement program could have on your financial health, you should be able to contact the provider on the phone or through chat, email or text, and they should be responsive to your questions. It’s also a bonus if there’s an online dashboard so you can monitor your progress.

Latest debt relief news

Studies commissioned by industry trade groups and third-party research firms suggest that debt relief is a growing industry. The AADR’s 2023 Economic Impact of the Debt Resolution Industry report finds that debt settlement is a $8.3 billion industry.

Americans are adding to their outstanding debt, which suggests that the debt settlement industry will continue to grow as higher debt levels and steeper borrowing costs squeeze more households’ finances. According to ResearchandMarkets.com, high levels of credit card debt and a favorable regulatory environment are the main reasons why the debt settlement industry is on pace to grow by roughly 10% between 2023 and 2028.

Recent data from the New York Fed found that Americans added $93 billion to their collective debt in the final three months of 2024. Nearly half of that — $45 billion — consisted of credit card debt. This unsecured debt typically carries high interest rates and can be challenging to pay down if borrowers only make minimum payments. Credit card debt is one kind of debt commonly settled by debt relief companies. Other typical debts include personal loans and store credit card debt. The New York Fed found that Americans added nearly $8 billion in these types of debt.

Debt Relief Companies FAQs

Are debt relief programs legit?

Although there are many legitimate debt relief programs, there are also scams and fraudulent organizations present in the industry. Avoid any entity that charges you upfront or promises to eliminate a dollar amount or a certain percentage of your debt.

Debt relief companies typically cannot help with federal student loans, auto loans or any other secured debts.

Does debt relief hurt your credit?

Simply enrolling with a debt relief company will not affect your credit. But the actions you take while working with a company can. As part of the debt settlement process, you typically have to stop making payments to your creditors. Delinquency can severely hurt your credit score, causing it to drop by 100 points or more. Even after you complete a debt relief program, the effects could linger: Settled accounts remain on your credit report for up to seven years.

Is debt relief a good idea?

Debt relief may be a good idea for people who are already falling behind on their monthly bills or are unable to repay their debts. A debt relief company might negotiate favorable settlements with your creditors, but this outcome has to be weighed against the likelihood of damage to your credit score and the less likely but still possible outcome of being sued by one or more of your creditors.

What is the best debt relief company?

The best debt relief companies are transparent about the debt relief process, including the company’s fees, program timeline and potential outcomes. Note that a legitimate debt relief company is not legally allowed to charge you upfront fees and will not guarantee results.

How we chose the best debt relief companies of 2025

To create our rankings, we extensively researched nearly two dozen debt relief providers and analyzed a wide range of criteria to support our recommendations. To decide which companies were best, we employed the following methodology:

Cost: We chose debt relief companies that provide the best services for their given cost. Companies generally charge anywhere from 14% to 25% of the debt you enroll. By law, they cannot charge you anything up front and can only begin charging once at least one creditor has accepted a settlement. We considered the availability and cost of extra services like legal assistance, as well as the fees charged by third parties that the companies work with to set up and maintain accounts for customers.

Customer support: We highlighted companies that are responsive to customers and offer assistance via phone, email, text and online chat. Companies that offer the ability to track the debt settlement process via an online dashboard or mobile app also fared well with us. We also considered which companies offer useful consumer money management tools and financial literacy education.

Legal actions: We researched legal and enforcement actions via regulatory agencies such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and news outlets.

Services and offerings: We favored companies that offer the most options when it comes to debt settlement. Most services will be able to work with credit card and unsecured personal loan debt, but it’s less common for them to offer help with taxes, medical bills, utility bills, rent and judgments.

Third-party ratings: We looked at trusted third-party rating sites to determine how satisfied previous customers were with each service. We considered BBB accreditation, how likely the company was to respond to complaints and what percentage were successfully closed. Additionally, we took a look at other customer review websites in order to identify any pattern of similar complaints lodged against a given company.

Transparency: We focused on companies that are more transparent about their pricing structure and don’t trick you with hidden fees.

Summary of Money’s Best Debt Relief Companies of April 2025

The companies listed below are organized in alphabetical order.

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