In recent years, high prices and rising inflation have made it hard for many Americans to manage their money. This situation has led to millions of people getting into debt. It's become a common problem, with folks struggling to keep up with their bills and financial commitments.
Top Debt Relief Options
If you find yourself in debt, know that help is out there. Companies that focus on debt relief can offer solutions, such as settling your debts for less than you owe or combining multiple debts into one. CuraDebt is one of these companies, and many people choose them for assistance with their debt issues.
Company Overview
CuraDebt was founded in 2000 as a debt relief company offering debt negotiation and debt management solutions to consumers. The company’s debt settlement plans are available in several states, but they don’t cover all states, including Hawaii, Oregon, and West Virginia.
Pros
- Offers help for business and personal debt
- Free consultation
- Credit repair services available upon completing a program
- Only $5,000 in debt needed to qualify
Cons
- Not available in 14 states
- Website is a bit clunky to navigate
- Limited weekend customer support hours
Year Founded: 2000
BBB Rating: A+
Areas Served: 36 states
Fees: Up to 20% of settled debt
Customer Service Hours: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST Monday to Friday; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. EST Saturday
Originally started in Irvine, California, CuraDebt is now headquartered in Hollywood, Florida. The company is not currently accredited by the Better Business Bureau, but it does have a high customer rating on the platform and a BBB rating of A+.
Why We Chose CuraDebt
CuraDebt is on our list of the best debt relief companies because it allows people to join with just $5,000 in debt, compared to most other companies that require at least $10,000 of enrolled debt to begin a debt settlement plan. The company also doesn’t require you to pay a monthly or upfront fee to get started, offers a free consultation to better understand your debt and creditors before you enroll, and has highly positive consumer reviews.
Additionally, CuraDebt’s financial experts have a mix of backgrounds, giving them the best ability to assist customers with varied financial situations. With some experts having experience as business owners and others having CPA credentials, CuraDebt’s team is well-equipped to handle a wide range of debts.
How It Works and What It Offers
CuraDebt doesn’t necessarily weigh good debt vs bad debt when determining whether it can help someone get out of debt. Instead, your initial consultation will help the company decide if your specific debt is best for a debt settlement company to assist you with or if you’re better off going another route, like bankruptcy.
CuraDebt works mostly with unsecured debt, like credit card debt, debt from personal loans, and tax debt. The company also handles some small business debt, allowing business owners to relieve some tax debt issues and other financial burdens they face.
All customers start with a free initial consultation to go over their debt with CuraDebt and learn more about the process. Here are the ways CuraDebt can help:
| Types of Debt Services | How It Works |
|---|---|
| Debt Negotiation | Debt specialists negotiate with creditors to lower the total debt owed. |
| Debt Settlement | Creditors agree to accept a lower amount than the original debt as full payment. |
| Debt Consolidation | Multiple debts are combined into one, often with a lower overall payment. |
| Tax Debt Relief | Specialists work to resolve tax debts with the government through settlements or payment plans. |
Free Consultation
Every client’s journey with CuraDebt begins with a free consultation. During this call, a debt relief specialist will explain the debt consolidation and negotiation process more, ask about your debt and your financial goals, and customize a plan to get your debt amount to zero.
After learning about your personalized debt relief program, you can choose whether to enroll in the program. Although CuraDebt doesn’t provide credit counseling, your debt specialist may suggest other ways you can solve your debt problems on your own if you don’t believe a settlement program is the best choice for you.
Personal and Business Debt Relief
Unlike other top competitors like Accredited Debt Relief and National Debt Relief, CuraDebt offers help with business debt issues in addition to personal debt. If a debt collector has been contacting you to pay your business credit cards or business loans, you could receive help from CuraDebt as long as the debts are unsecured debts.
CuraDebt’s team of debt specialists includes specialists with experience in business debt, allowing them to work your case using their knowledge of business tax debt and other types of business debt to help your company get out of the financial hole it’s in.
Of course, CuraDebt works with personal debt too, including credit card debt, personal loans, and tax debt. The company’s primary goal is to get you to a healthy financial place so that you can avoid bankruptcy and finally stop creditors from calling you, whether you need help personally or for your business.
Debt Negotiation and Settlement
CuraDebt’s two primary forms of wiping away debt are through debt negotiation and debt settlement.
With debt negotiation, CuraDebt’s debt specialists speak with your creditors to negotiate a deal to pay off your debt. For example, with a $5,000 credit card debt, they might negotiate the debt to $3,000 if you can pay the full balance within the next 30 days. Or, they might negotiate a much lower interest rate or ask the company to stop charging interest altogether if you pay your balance within six months.
The result of the negotiation is a settlement. Your debt settlement is the agreement the creditor makes with your debt specialist to help you pay off your debt. The best-case scenario CuraDebt strives for is to settle the debt at a much lower balance than the original, allowing you to pay less than you owed.
Debt Consolidation
When you combine debts into another form, like moving credit card balances from several cards onto a new card, you’re consolidating debt. Technically, CuraDebt provides debt consolidation through its debt negotiation and settlement services.
When you enroll in a CuraDebt plan, you’ll stop paying money toward your current debts. All of those debts get enrolled in your plan, and you’ll make just one monthly payment toward your CuraDebt plan rather than making minimum payments to your creditors. CuraDebt then uses the money in your dedicated account to pay the debt settlements they’ve negotiated with your creditors.
Therefore, the process works similarly to debt consolidation, allowing you to make one easy payment to ultimately pay off all your enrolled debt.
Tax Debt Relief
CuraDebt is a unique debt relief service in that it provides tax debt relief. Tax debt can get tricky, especially if you’re facing financial penalties and legal action for failing to pay the correct amount in taxes each year, whether it’s your personal or business taxes.
CuraDebt can help you relieve your tax debt with the federal government or your state government through its debt negotiation and settlement services. However, be aware that settling your tax issues can take time, and enrolling your tax debt with CuraDebt may not prevent you from still getting contacted by creditors about your debt.
Depending on your specific situation, CuraDebt may negotiate an installment agreement or settle the debt through an Offer in Compromise, also known as an OIC, which settles the debt for less than what you owe.
Bankruptcy
CuraDebt does not specifically help customers with bankruptcy. However, if your debt specialist believes that your debt situation needs more help than CuraDebt can provide in a reasonable amount of time, they might suggest that you look into bankruptcy instead.
Although bankruptcy isn’t likely the route you want to go, it could be the only option for some people in dire debt situations who don’t have enough disposable income to put toward cash settlements of their debt. CuraDebt will not allow you to enroll in a plan with the debt management company if your debt doesn’t qualify, which can help you avoid spending time and money on a plan that isn’t a fit for your situation.
How Much Does CuraDebt Cost?
CuraDebt is not as transparent about the fees you’ll pay for its service as some other debt relief company options. However, its website states that the average fee customers pay is about 20% of their debt enrolled. So, if you enroll $10,000 in debt, you can expect to pay about $2,000 to CuraDebt for its fee.
| If you your debt amount is: | You can expect CuraDebt to charge: |
|---|---|
| $5,000 | $1,000 |
| $10,000 | $2,000 |
| $15,000 | $3,000 |
| $20,000 | $4,000 |
| $25,000 | $5,000 |
| $30,000 | $6,000 |
| $35,000 | $7,000 |
| $40,000 | $8,000 |
| $45,000 | $9,000 |
| $50,000 | $10,000 |
Your fee can vary based on how much you can afford to put toward your debt each month and the amount of the settlements CuraDebt achieves. CuraDebt claims that its fees are guaranteed to be the lowest you’ll find with a debt management company, so it could be worth negotiating your fee if you received a quote from another company with a lower fee.
Note that you don’t need to pay your fee monthly or upfront. Instead, you’ll pay the fee only when your debts get settled successfully.
How To Get Started with CuraDebt
Call 1-877-850-3328 to begin your free consultation with CuraDebt, or click the ‘Free Consultation’ link on the website to answer a few questions and see if you might qualify for a debt settlement plan. Leave your contact information, and someone from CuraDebt will reach out to you to begin your consultation.
Be sure to have information about your debt on hand for your consultation, like the creditor's name and the specific amount of your debt with each creditor.
How To Cancel
If you decide to cancel your CuraDebt plan, you’ll need to contact your debt specialist. They’ll walk you through the steps to cancel and explain how to get any money back that’s stored in your dedicated account. You may need to pay fees for any settled debts before withdrawing your money.
Customer Service
The general customer service number for CuraDebt is 1-877-850-3328. This is the best way to get a hold of the company if you’re considering joining and would like a quote or have any questions you’d like to ask before enrolling. The phone line is open from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. EST Monday through Friday and from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. EST on Saturday. You can also fax documents at any time to 1-754-333-5510.
For non-urgent inquiries or to contact CuraDebt outside of usual business hours, you can email [email protected]. CuraDebt also has a live chat feature that you can use by pressing the chat icon in the bottom right corner of the website. The live chat has some extended hours outside of regular business hours.
Common Questions about CuraDebt
Is CuraDebt legit?
CuraDebt is a legitimate debt relief company with several years of experience in the industry. As a member of the American Fair Credit Council, a licensed company in multiple states, and a BSI-certified company, CuraDebt is committed to proving its legitimacy and enhancing its trustworthiness to customers.
Will CuraDebt hurt my credit score?2
When you enroll your debt with CuraDebt, there’s a chance that your credit score will dip. This is because you’ll stop making payments directly to creditors as CuraDebt works with them to settle or negotiate your debts. After you pay off your debt, your credit score should increase.
Does CuraDebt offer face-to-face consultations?
Yes, CuraDebt offers face-to-face consultations for anyone living near its Hollywood, Florida, office.
Can CuraDebt help with tax issues?
Yes, in addition to handling traditional credit card debt or personal loan debt, CuraDebt is also a tax debt relief company. CuraDebt can assist you with personal tax debt or business tax debt, potentially providing you with tax relief after you’ve completed your plan.
Will a CuraDebt program definitely work for me?
There is no guarantee that a debt management program can work for anyone, and the same is true when you enroll in CuraDebt. However, CuraDebt will work to the best of its ability to negotiate with your creditors to reduce and settle your debts. You’ll be updated on the entire process.
Can I handle my debt on my own without CuraDebt?
In some cases, you may be able to work with creditors on your own without CuraDebt's help. However, CuraDebt’s professional debt arbitrators have years of experience helping people just like you solve their debt issues, so they may have more success at reaching settlements and negotiations.
How much can I expect CuraDebt to help me settle?
The amount of debt you can settle with CuraDebt depends on how much you enroll, how much you can afford to put toward your debt each month, and how willing your creditors are to negotiate. CuraDebt publishes debt settlement letters on its website to help you get an idea of how much you can expect to save. Many debts are settled for 50% to 75% savings.
Is CuraDebt Right for Me?
This CuraDebt review provides a helpful overview for you to understand what CuraDebt offers and how the company settles and negotiates debts. To determine if it’s the best option for you, reach out for a free consultation. It takes just a few minutes and will give you a good idea of how much debt you can enroll and how much you should expect to pay each month toward your debts.
You can also get free consultations with other debt settlement companies and compare the information you’re given to find the most suitable program for your current debts and your financial future.
