CountryWide Debt Relief review
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- Minimum debt
- $10,000
- Typical turnaround
- 12 to 60 months
- Fees
- 15% to 30% of enrolled debt
Our verdict
No upfront fees and flexible terms, but exact costs and state availability aren't disclosed until you call.
CountryWide Debt Relief (CWDR) is an Irvine, California-based debt relief company offering debt consolidation and debt settlement services. You only pay a fee if CWDR successfully resolves a debt, no upfront costs. Fees range from 15% to 30%, but you won't know your exact rate until you speak with a consultant. The program is open to people with bad credit. State availability isn't disclosed on the website, and there's no money-back guarantee listed.
Best for: People with $10,000 or more in unsecured debt who are stuck making minimum payments and can't see a way out.
Pros
-
No fee charged unless a debt is successfully resolved
-
Open to applicants with bad credit
-
Free consultation with a debt specialist
Cons
-
Exact fee not confirmed until after consultation
-
State availability not listed on its website
-
No money-back guarantee listed
Key takeaways
- CountryWide Debt Relief is a legitimate debt settlement company with an A+ BBB rating, no upfront fees and a performance-based model where fees are only charged when a debt is successfully resolved.
- Clients who complete the program typically save 25% to 30% of their total enrolled debt after all fees, though results vary and not all creditors will negotiate.
- The program may negatively impact your credit score — stopping payments to creditors while funds build for settlement typically results in missed payment marks on your credit report.
Is CountryWide Debt Relief legit?
Yes. CountryWide Debt Relief is a legitimate, operating company. Its website is secure, it maintains a physical office at 2020 Main Street, Suite 1200, Irvine, CA 92614, and it lists real contact information including phone and email. The company holds an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and displays accreditation from the American Consumer Debt Relief (ACDR) on its website.
CWDR describes a team of debt consultants, customer service representatives and in-house debt negotiators who work directly with clients and creditors. The company is transparent in its disclaimer that not all debts can be negotiated, results vary, and the program is not available in all states.
It does not provide legal advice, credit repair services, or tax advice and it recommends consulting an attorney or tax professional where those issues arise.
What makes CountryWide Debt Relief shine?
- No upfront fees. CWDR only collects a fee when it successfully resolves a debt on your behalf. The fee is folded into your monthly program payments — there’s no separate charge at enrollment.
- Performance-based model. According to the company’s website, clients who complete the program and make all required payments typically save 25% to 30% of their total debt, including all fees paid.
- Bad credit is not a barrier. The debt consolidation program does not require good credit to qualify. People who have fallen behind on payments or whose debts exceed their net worth may still be eligible.
- Free consultation. You can call or apply online for a free savings estimate before committing to anything.
- Handles a range of unsecured debts. CWDR works with credit cards, payday loans, personal loans, medical bills, some private student loans, some business debts and high-interest installment loans.
Where CountryWide Debt Relief falls short
- Fees aren’t pinned down upfront. The website confirms fees range from 15% to 30%, but your specific rate is only confirmed after a consultation. On $20,000 in enrolled debt, that’s anywhere from $3,000 to $6,000 — a meaningful range.
- State availability isn’t published. The website disclaimer notes the program is “not available in all states” but doesn’t list which states are covered. You’ll need to call to find out.
- No money-back guarantee. The website doesn’t advertise a money-back guarantee of any kind, where plenty of competitor debt relief companies do.
- Credit impact isn’t explained in detail upfront. The site acknowledges a “potentially adverse impact on credit rating” in its disclaimer but doesn’t walk through what to expect in practice before you sign up.
- Not all debts can be resolved. CWDR’s own disclaimer is clear: not all creditors negotiate and not all enrolled debts will be settled. But this isn’t uncommon among debt relief companies.
How much can I save?
CWDR states on its website that clients who complete the program typically save 25% to 30% of their total debt, even after accounting for all fees. Its published case studies show individual outcomes ranging from roughly $29,000 to over $89,000 in savings, depending on the debt enrolled and how long the client would otherwise have made minimum payments.
Your savings depend on how much you owe, which creditors are involved, whether those creditors agree to negotiate and how long you stay in the program. The company’s disclaimer notes clearly that past results don’t guarantee future outcomes and individual results vary.
How much does it cost?
CWDR charges a fee of 15% to 30% of the total enrolled debt, only when a debt is successfully resolved. There are no upfront costs. The fee is included in your monthly program payments rather than billed separately.
To give a sense of scale: if you enrolled $15,000 in debt at a 20% fee, you’d pay $3,000 in total fees over the program. If CWDR cannot resolve a debt, no fee is charged for that debt.
If you qualify instead for a referral to one of CWDR’s lending partners for a debt consolidation loan, those loans carry APRs ranging from 5.99% to 35.89%, per the website’s legal disclaimer.
Will CountryWide Debt Relief hurt my credit?
It may. CWDR’s own website and disclaimer acknowledge a “potentially adverse impact on credit rating” as part of the program. The debt settlement FAQ on the site notes the impact depends on your situation: if you’re already delinquent on payments and you settle, you may see less of an impact. If you’re current on your payments when you enroll and then stop paying as part of the process, you may see a short-term negative impact.
CWDR does not offer credit repair services. Its website also notes that forgiven debt may be treated as taxable income by the IRS and recommends consulting a tax professional before enrolling.
CountryWide Debt Relief details
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Free consultation | Yes |
| Services | Debt consolidation, debt settlement, debt negotiation |
| Minimum debt | $10,000 |
| Typical turnaround | 12 to 60 months |
| Fees | 15% to 30% of enrolled debt |
| Types of debt | Credit cards, payday loans, personal loans, medical bills, some private student loans, some business debts, high-interest installment loans, auto loan deficiency balances, unsecured personal lines of credit |
| Accreditations | BBB (A+ rating), American Consumer Debt Relief (ACDR) |
| Direct or third-party negotiations | Direct — CWDR uses its own in-house negotiators |
| State availability | Not listed on website — call (800) 594-3362 to confirm |
Must read: Before you sign up with a debt relief company
Debt relief companies typically charge a percentage of a customer’s debt or a monthly program fee for their services. And not all companies are transparent about these costs or drawbacks that can negatively affect your credit score. Depending on the company you work with, you might pay other fees for setting up new accounts or third-party settlement services, which can leave you in a worse situation than when you signed up.
Consider alternatives before signing up with a debt relief company:
- Payment extensions. Companies you owe may be willing to extend your payment due date or put you on a longer payment plan.
- Nonprofit credit counseling. Look for free debt-management help from nonprofit organizations like the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.
- Debt settlement. If you can pay a portion of the bill, offer the collection agency a one-time payment as a settlement. Collection agencies are often willing to accept a lower payment on your debt to close the account.
CountryWide Debt Relief contact info
| Channel | Details |
|---|---|
| Phone (non-clients) | (800) 594-3362 |
| Phone (existing clients) | (888) 828-5787 |
| Text | (888) 828-5787 |
| Customer service hours | Monday–Friday, 7am–6pm PST |
| service@cwdebtrelief.com | |
| X (formerly Twitter) | twitter.com/cwdebtrelief |
| facebook.com/cwdebtrelief |
How to qualify for CountryWide Debt Relief
CWDR publishes the following minimum requirements on its website:
- At least $10,000 in total credit card debt
- Ability to afford a minimum monthly payment of 1.5% of total credit card debt owed, or $250, whichever is greater
- Must live in a state where CWDR operates (not published on website — call to confirm)
The debt consolidation program does not require good credit. People with bad credit or debts that exceed their net worth may still qualify.
How the debt settlement process works
- Free consultation. Call (800) 594-3362 or apply online. A debt consultant reviews your income, expenses and debt portfolio to recommend the best option.
- Enrollment. If you qualify, you enroll eligible debts in the program and begin making monthly payments into a dedicated account.
- Negotiation. CWDR’s in-house debt negotiators contact your creditors to work toward a reduced lump-sum payoff.
- Settlement. When a creditor agrees, funds from your account are used to pay the settled amount. CWDR’s fee is collected from the same account, only if the debt is resolved.
How CountryWide Debt Relief compares to other providers
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CountryWide Debt Relief reviews and complaints
| BBB accredited | Yes |
|---|---|
| BBB rating | A+ |
| BBB customer reviews | 3.5 out of 5 stars, based on 11 customer reviews |
| Trustpilot Score | 2.9 out of 5 stars, based on 2 customer reviews. |
| Customer reviews verified as of | 05 May 2026 |
Review volume on both platforms is low, so the scores are hard to lean on heavily, but the pattern is consistent. Positive reviews describe a smooth sign-up process and responsive consultants. Negative reviews, on both BBB and Trustpilot, center on the same complaint: clients made payments for months or years without any debts being settled.
One recurring concern worth flagging is CWDR’s marketing mailers, which some BBB reviewers described as resembling official lawsuit notices complete with fake case numbers. A few recipients reported feeling misled before they realized it was an advertisement.
It’s also worth knowing that the BBB’s A+ letter grade reflects how a company handles complaints, not customer satisfaction — which is why the A+ rating and the 3.5-star customer score can sit side by side.
What do people on Reddit say?
Risks to debt settlement
Debt settlement can be a meaningful option for people in serious financial distress, but it comes with real risks worth understanding before you sign up:
- Your credit score may drop. Stopping payments to creditors while funds build for a settlement typically results in missed payment marks on your credit report.
- Success isn’t guaranteed. Not all creditors will negotiate, and CWDR’s own disclaimer states clearly that not all enrolled debts will be resolved.
- Interest and fees keep accruing. Creditors can continue adding interest and late fees to your balance during the negotiation period.
- Forgiven debt may be taxable. The IRS generally treats forgiven debt as income. CWDR recommends consulting a tax professional before enrolling.
- Creditors may take legal action. If payments stop, some creditors may escalate to collections or pursue a lawsuit before any settlement is reached.
Frequently asked questions
Your reviews
Megan B. Finder
Editor, Loans & Insurance
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