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Oak View Law Group debt relief review
Debt settlement, debt management, bankruptcy services and more.
If you’ve lost control of your credit card debt and are feeling confused about what to do, one of Oak View Law Group’s debt relief programs might be able to help. But if you’re interested in debt settlement, you’ll need to save up at least 30% of your enrolled debt in a trust account before you can even begin the negotiation process.
Success fee for debt relief: 15% of total debt enrolled.
Fee structure:Will match fees from comparable companies.
Types of debt accepted: Unsecured debt, including credit card debt, medical bills, payday loans and personal loans.
Service limitations:48 states — lacks transparency about which it services.
Ratings: A- BBB rating.
Accreditations: California Chamber of Commerce, Better Business Bureau, State Bar of California.
Refund policy: If you’re dissatisfied with services or you don’t see results, your fees and trust account balance will be refunded within seven business days.
Customer service: Phone, email, mail, fax, live chat.
How much does it cost?
For debt settlement and debt consolidation services, Oak View Law Group charges a success fee of 15% of the total debt enrolled, as well as a monthly consultancy fee of $50. You’ll also need to provide at least 30% of your debt owed for entry into a trust account during negotiations.
So if your enrolled debt of $1,000 is settled for $6,000, your success fee is $1,500. Oak View Law Group deducts your consultancy fees from your success fee with the settlement of each debt.
How much could I save with Oak View Law Group?
What you ultimately save depends on the amount of debt you owe and how willing your creditors are to work with Oak View Law Group. But based on success stories featured on the Oak View Law Group website, many customers saved thousands of dollars with their settlement, with one customer saving nearly $10,000.
What are the pros and cons of Oak View Law Group?
Pros
Wide variety of debt relief services. Oak View Law Group offers debt management and bankruptcy services in addition to traditional debt relief solutions.
Matches fees. If you find a comparable company with lower fees, Oak View Law Group will offer the same services at 50% of that company’s rate.
Money-back guarantee. If you’re not happy with the service, you can request a refund of all the fees you’ve paid as well as the total amount in your trust balance account.
Cons
Only works with certain debts. Secured loans and student loans aren’t covered by Oak View Law Group.
Not available in all states. It only services 48 states — though its website neglects to mention what ones are excluded.
Trust account required. You’ll need to save at least 30% of the amount you owe each creditor in a trust account before Oak View Law Group will even begin negotiations.
We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
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 third-party settlement services or setting up new accounts, 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 if you ask.
Nonprofit credit counseling. Look for free debt-management help from nonprofit organizations like the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.
Debt settlement. If you can manage to 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.
What is Oak View Law Group?
Headquartered in California, Oak View Law Group is a debt relief company. It offers a variety of services from debt settlement and consolidation to bankruptcy and defamation protection. It claims to help customers settle debts for a portion of what they owe.
It receives a high rating from the BBB and is a member of the California Chamber of Commerce and the State Bar of California.
What does the Internet say about Oak View Law Group?
Oak View Law Group is accredited with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and earns an A- rating. It only has six complaints filed against it, and 80 customers have scored it an average 5-star rating. Customers praise Oak View for its flexibility, open communication and settlement results. Those unhappy with the service cite difficulty getting their fees refunded and long wait times for debts to be settled — which is common for any debt relief service.
How do I get started?
To start your free consultation, you can call Oak View Law Group at 800-530-6854 or fill out the online application form.
Follow these steps to apply online:
Go to the Oak View Law Group website and click Know your options.
Enter you name, email, phone number and how much debt you owe.
Select your state from the dropdown menu.
Click Get Debt Relief.
Continue filling out your profile and wait for an Oak View Law Group consultant to call you to discuss your options.
I’ve signed up. What happens next?
After signing up for Oak View Law Group’s debt settlement program, you can generally expect to go through the following steps:
Get login creditientals to the client secure portal. Here, you can track your case, monitor your trust account and keep tabs on negotiations.
Your Client Relationship Analyst opens a Bank of America account. This acts as your trust funds account and is where you’ll deposit payments each month.
Oak View Law Group takes over the negotiation process. Once your creditor agrees to new settlement terms, Oak View pays off the balance with a one-time payment from your trust account.
From there, the process continues until all of your creditors have been paid off. This can take up to four years depending on how quickly you can save up funds in your trust account and how willing your creditors are to negotiate.
Bottom line
Whether you’re looking to enroll in a debt settlement program or are considering filing for bankruptcy, Oak View Law Group may be able to help. But you’re limited to unsecured debts only, meaning those pesky student loans are ineligible.
After your first payment into your trust account, Oak View Law Group will send your signed power of attorney to your creditors and start the negotiation process.
Oak View Law Group stores your funds in a Bank of America account. The OVLG follows funding guidelines handed down by the California Bar.
Yes. You can pay using PayPal, in addition to mailing a check or depositing the money into the Bank of America account.
Yes. If your creditors continue to call, inform them you’ve enrolled in Oak View’s debt settlement program and request they contact your Client Relationship Analyst moving forward.
Steven Dashiell is a writer at Finder specializing in all things credit cards. With more than 300 articles under his belt, he aims to help readers embrace credit cards and maximize their rewards. Steve is studying to become a Certified Educator in Personal Finance, and is a frequent face on Finder’s YouTube channel, offering the latest in credit card hacks and advice. His expertise has been featured on numerous outlets, including U.S. News & World Report, Time, CBS, Fox Business, Lifehacker, Martha Stewart Living and more.
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