Top Debt Management Plan Companies in 2025

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Compare the best debt management programs
Agency | Average fees |
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American Consumer Credit Counseling |
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Cambridge Credit Counseling |
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GreenPath Financial Wellness |
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Money Management International |
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American Consumer Credit Counseling
Cambridge Credit Counseling
GreenPath Financial Wellness
Money Management International
How to choose the best debt management program
- Check accreditations: Look for an agency that's a member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling or the Financial Counseling Association of America. These organizations put consumer needs first when evaluating member agencies and even require additional accreditation by a third-party organization (and re-accreditation every few years).
- Ask for a free consultation: Reputable credit counseling agencies will offer a free phone call or debt analysis, so a counselor can go over your debts with you and explore options. It’s important to take advantage of this phone call or analysis, which requires no commitment on your end, so you can get a feel for whether a debt management plan is the right fit.
- Get a rundown of costs: Fees vary by agency, the state you live in and your financial need. Before you sign up, verify how much you’ll pay each month toward your debt and in fees.
- Consider whether you want in-person services: Some credit counseling agencies have physical branches, where you can meet with a counselor face-to-face.
Is working with a debt management company right for you?
- Have mostly unsecured debt: Debt management plans are available for unsecured debt like credit cards and personal loans. Secured debts, such as a car loan, are not eligible for debt management plans, since they’re backed by collateral.
- Are struggling to stay on top of payments: If you’re only able to make the minimum payment on your debts — or are starting to miss payments — a debt management plan can help you avoid late fees and collection calls, while potentially lowering your interest rate, so you can get the debt back under control.
- Have a steady income: Because you’ll need to show you can make payments toward your debts each month, most credit counseling agencies require a steady income and may ask for proof of income, such as your most recent pay stub.
- Can’t qualify for other debt payoff options: Other debt consolidation products, like balance-transfer cards, can help you pay down debt with no interest, but you need good or excellent credit (690 score or higher) to qualify. A debt management plan has no credit score requirement.
- Won’t need access to credit while on the plan: Credit counseling agencies typically require you to close your enrolled accounts while on the plan and avoid opening new lines of credit. Some agencies may allow you to leave one credit card open for emergencies.
How to pay off debt without working with a debt management company
Do-it-yourself debt payoff
Debt consolidation loans
Debt relief
Article sources
- 1. National Bureau of Economic Research. Prodigals and Projecture: An Economic History of Usury Laws in the United States from Colonial Times to 1900. Accessed May 2, 2025.
- 2. Federal Register. Federal Interest Rate Authority: A Rule by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation on 07/22/2020. Accessed May 2, 2025.
- 3. Federal Reserve. Military Lending Act. Accessed May 2, 2025.
- 4. Center for Responsible Lending. Unsafe Harbor: The Persistent Harms of High-Cost Installment Loans. Accessed May 2, 2025.
- 5. Internal Revenue Service. Retirement Topics - Plan Loans. Accessed Apr 8, 2025.
- 6. Internal Revenue Service. Retirement topics: Exceptions to tax on early distributions. Accessed Apr 8, 2025.
- 7. Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. Bankruptcy Basics. Accessed Apr 8, 2025.
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