Guardian Debt Relief Review 2024
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If you’re searching for a guardian angel to help you turn thousands of dollars of unsecured debt into an affordable payment, you’ve come to the right place. With zero upfront fees, the New York-based Guardian Debt Relief company offers its services to anyone with credit card debt, personal loan debt, medical bills, and even student loan debt. Keep reading to find out more about this service and if it’s the right option for you.
Services Fee: 20% of original debt
Fortunly Rating
Fortunly's Rating: Our editorial team determines the rating based on a set of evaluation criteria developed for each product and service category.
Strengths
- Free debt analysis with specialist
- Flexible payments
- Online client portal
- Financial tools
- FDIC insured account
- Flat fee
- High success rate
- AFCC and IAPDA certified
Weaknesses
- Affects your credit score
- Requires $7,500 in unsecured debt
Guardian Debt Relief Overview
Established in 2012 and based in Brooklyn, the company specializes in debt negotiation. Through a simple five-step program, the company’s skilled negotiators work to get clients out of debt and improve their financial situation.
Every customer is assigned a dedicated debt specialist, and these agents review your credit history, negotiate with your creditors, and ultimately lower your debt. This one-on-one approach has helped thousands of clients get back on their feet.
The company is certified by both the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators and the American Fair Credit Council. That means you’re in good hands. You can pay back less than you owe and start building healthier spending habits in just a few short years thanks to the company’s resources like debt management, credit counseling, and debt consolidation.
It’s worth noting that Guardian Debt Relief doesn’t offer any guarantees that it will lower your debt or that you’ll be debt-free in a certain period of time. But its track record is definitely reassuring.
Over the years, it’s built strong relationships with a number of creditors and settled thousands of debt accounts.
How Guardian Debt Relief Compares to Other Debt Relief Companies
20%
$7,500
15% - 25%
$7,500
16-20%
$0
What to Expect From Guardian Debt Relief
The company’s core service is debt negotiation. But it also offers expert resources and tools that can help you better manage your finances and avoid getting into debt in the future.
In our review, we focus on the company’s debt relief program, but before we start, we’ll explain what debt settlement is and how it works. Simply put, a debt settlement is an agreement negotiated with your creditor allowing you to pay a lump sum that’s typically lower than the full amount you owe.
The service is generally offered by third-party companies like Guardian Debt Relief, which address and negotiate with the creditors or debt collectors on your behalf. This isn’t the same as debt consolidation, which is a type of loan that settles your debt immediately but requires you to pay an interest rate to your lender.
Check and Enroll
Your enrollment into the program begins by filling out a form or calling the company and requesting an assessment of your financial situation. The assessment is conducted by a personal debt specialist who determines whether you’re eligible for the program.
Guardian Debt Relief offers a free analysis of your finances, and you won’t have to pay a penny until your debt is successfully lowered.
Although the company’s clients have different levels of debt, you must have at least $7,500 of unsecured debt to be eligible for the negotiation program.
Get Your Secured Account
The next step is to create a relief program that will fit your needs and not overwhelm your budget. Your debt specialist will work with you to come up with a monthly payment program, and you’ll get an account at Global Client Solutions. This FDIC-insured bank will act as the middle-man between you and your creditors.
Throughout the entire program, you’ll have full control over your account and all the funds. You can also track your progress in real-time through the company’s online dashboard. It’s crucial to make payments on time as it’s a condition to successfully complete the program.
Inform Creditors
Guardian Debt Relief contacts your creditors immediately after your first payment is processed and informs them that you are using the company’s debt relief services. Thanks to its large network of creditors, there’s a good chance that you won’t be reported to credit bureaus as long as you are consistent with monthly payments.
According to customer testimonies, they received fewer phone calls from creditors after they enrolled in the company’s debt relief program.
Back on Your Feet
After you’ve deposited enough money into your trust account, the company’s debt specialists start negotiating with your creditors to reach a settlement. The objective is to lower your debt, and the company has had a great deal of success in lowering debts to only a fraction of what their clients originally owed.
In other words, you can end up paying as little as .40 to .60 cents on the dollar owed.
The company charges a flat fee of 20% of your original debt. Compared to other debt relief companies, the options here are more affordable. For instance, National Debt Relief charges between 15% and 25%, depending on the amount you owe.
Another great thing about this company is that it provides safe money transfers from your account to your creditors, meaning that you’re not obliged to communicate with your creditors anymore. It typically takes between 24 and 48 months to graduate from the program debt-free.
Educational Resources
The company’s main product is a personalized debt relief program. However, in order to help you make better financial decisions, the Guardian Debt Relief website offers educational resources and articles.
You can learn more about how the debt management program works or compare debt relief with other financial products like debt consolidation loans. But these topics are limited to discussions because Guardian is not a lender or a loan provider. It can only help you with debt settlement.
Additional Tools
As far as additional features are concerned, this is one of the better-equipped debt settlement companies. In addition to the online client portal, the company offers a budget calculator tool that will help you establish a monthly budget. There are also lots of useful tips on how to improve your spending habits and take control of your finances.
Further Reading
Find the Best Financial Product for Your Needs
How to Qualify for a Debt Relief Program?
As mentioned, free consultations with an agent are available, but before you do that, you need to file the form on the company’s website.
It’s a straightforward procedure that takes only a couple of minutes to complete. Here’s what you have to do:
- Click on the “See If You Qualify” button in the right corner of the screen.
- Choose your debt amount.
- Select the state from the dropdown menu.
- Fill in your details and submit the request.
Aside from the online application, there is a phone number where interested parties can check their eligibility.
If you meet the company’s requirements, you’ll get electronic approval and continue with the procedure.
The company’s requirements are reasonable. First off, you need to be a US resident and be 18 or above.
Secondly, your unsecured debt must be at least $7,500. Bear in mind that this program is for clients that have sizable debts.
If you only owe a few hundred dollars, you’ll have to find other debt relief options.
In-Depth Description of the Debt Relief Program
The company reviews each applicant’s financial situation thoroughly in order to create a program that’s suitable for individual customers. More often than not, Guardian Debt Relief will create a program that will help you pay-off your debt in significantly less time and for far less than what you actually owe.
The company only offers its services to clients with unsecured debt. This includes credit card bills, medical bills, and utility bills. Moreover, the company allows applicants to enroll in its debt relief program if they have unsettled private student loans.
The Guardian debt negotiation program is designed to both reduce and settle your debt. Accounts are generally settled for 40% to 60% of the original debt. The duration of the program depends on each individual client and their debt amount.
The company comes up with reasonable monthly payments based on the amount you owe and your financial capabilities. These are deposited into a trust account that you maintain complete control over throughout the entire process. The fees found here are some of the more affordable on the market.
Once you’re finally debt-free, the company’s numerous resources can help you improve your spending habits and pave the way for saving habits. Its entire philosophy is based on safeguarding the financial future of its clients. That means you’ll emerge with better budgeting skills and the ability to manage your own finances.
Guardian Debt Relief Customer Support
Like many similar debt relief programs, Guardian offers applicants the option to enroll online or contact a company representative.
There is also an online client portal that helps customers track their payments in real-time.
If you face any problems, you can get in touch with the support team via phone or email or by filling out a contact form. The company offers separate phone numbers and email addresses for those trying to enroll in the program and existing clients.
Guardian Debt Relief Security and Customer Reviews
Guardian Debt Relief is a BBB accredited provider and holds an A+ rating. The company is also rated 4.7/5 on Trustpilot. Many online reviews applaud the company for helping clients settle their debt. Guardian is certified by both AFCC and IAPDA.
Why Consider Guardian Debt Relief?
Guardian is a good choice for those with unsecured debt in excess of $7,500 who want to settle their bills with a flat fee. The great thing about this company is that it doesn’t charge upfront fees. If your dedicated debt specialist is successful in settling your debt for less than what you originally owe, the company charges an affordable rate.
Why Look Elsewhere?
The company’s main downside is that its services aren’t available in all 50 states. Also, as is the case with many other debt relief services, you can expect changes in your credit score.
FAQ
Who qualifies for debt relief?
Each company has its requirements that you need to meet to qualify for debt relief. Generally, you need to have unsecured forms of debt, including credit card bills, medical bills, or even private student loans.
Can debt relief hurt your credit?
Unfortunately, yes. Even the best debt relief can decrease your score by a couple of points. Companies like Guardian work on informing your creditors about your regular monthly rates. That way, the creditors may not call the credit bureaus, minimizing the damage to your credit score.