At a Glance
Rating Breakdown
About Countrywide Debt Relief
Countrywide Debt Relief, founded in 2009 and headquartered in Encino, California, has resolved over $1 billion in consumer debt by operating on a model that prioritizes individual client relationships over volume throughput. The company's core differentiator is straightforward: every client is assigned a single dedicated resolution specialist who carries a small caseload (typically 60-80 active clients, compared to 200-300 at the largest firms). This specialist handles the account from enrollment through graduation, knows the client's financial situation in detail, and is available for ad-hoc communication rather than scheduled-only check-ins. This model matters more than it might seem, because debt settlement is not just a financial transaction — it is a 2-4 year process during which clients' circumstances change. Income fluctuates (especially for self-employed clients), unexpected expenses arise, creditors escalate collection activity, and clients experience emotional stress from the deliberate non-payment strategy. At large firms with team-rotation models, clients must re-explain their situation each time they call. At Countrywide, the dedicated specialist already knows the context, which enables faster decision-making and more responsive program adjustments. For example, if a self-employed client has a slow month, the specialist can immediately adjust the deposit schedule without requiring a formal review process. Countrywide also excels at hardship documentation — the process of assembling financial evidence (income verification, medical records, legal documents) that strengthens negotiation positions with creditors. Well-documented hardship cases tend to settle at lower percentages because creditors recognize the reduced likelihood of full collection. Countrywide's team is particularly experienced with divorce-related debt, medical hardship, and small business failure scenarios. The company holds thousands of verified client reviews and is accredited by both AFCC and IAPDA, with over 15 years of continuous operations across 40+ states.
Key Features
Truly Personalized Programs
Your program is built from your actual debts, creditor mix, hardship story, income, and goals. If your situation looks different from the last client's, the plan should look different too.
Low Client-to-Specialist Ratio
Your specialist handles 60-80 clients, not the 200-300 at larger firms. That means they actually know who you are when you call, and they respond fast.
Flexible Deposit Schedules
If you have a slow month — especially common for self-employed or commission-based workers — your specialist adjusts deposits in real time instead of holding you to a rigid schedule.
Hardship Documentation Support
They help you assemble the hardship evidence — income records, medical documents, divorce decrees — that convinces creditors to accept lower settlement offers.
No Upfront Fees
No fees until something settles and you approve the deal. Standard FTC-compliant model — no workarounds, no hidden charges.
How It Works
In-Depth Consultation
The specialist who will handle your account from start to finish goes through your debts, income, expenses, hardship, and goals in detail.
Custom Program Design
Your specialist builds a strategy around your specific creditor mix and financial reality — not a template from the last client.
Flexible Deposits
Deposits run on a schedule that fits your budget. If your income changes, the schedule changes with it.
Targeted Negotiation
Negotiators use your hardship documentation to push for the lowest numbers on each account. You approve every deal before anything moves.
Completion
All enrolled debts get resolved on a timeline built around your situation, not an industry average.
What They Do
- Debt Settlement
- Debt Negotiation
- Hardship Documentation
- Financial Education
Debt Types They Take On
- Credit Cards
- Medical Bills
- Personal Loans
- Private Student Loans
- Store Cards
- Collections
Fee & Cost Structure
Regulatory & Trust
Review Summary
Notable Case Studies
Self-Employed Contractor with Variable Income
Freelance IT contractor with \$58,000 across 6 credit cards and a personal loan. Monthly income ranged from \$3,200 (slow months) to \$8,500 (busy months), making fixed monthly deposits unrealistic. Two previous settlement company consultations had proposed fixed \$1,200/month deposits, which the client could not commit to during slow periods. Countrywide's dedicated specialist designed a flexible deposit structure: \$600/month base with additional deposits of \$400-\$800 during strong income months. The specialist reviewed income quarterly and adjusted the schedule accordingly.
Divorce-Related Debt with Hardship Documentation
Client had \$43,000 in credit card debt accumulated during a 2-year divorce, including \$12,000 in legal fees charged to credit cards and \$8,000 in temporary housing expenses. The divorce decree assigned 100% of the joint credit card debt to the client despite the ex-spouse being a co-signer on 3 of the 5 accounts. Countrywide's specialist assembled thorough hardship documentation: the divorce decree, income reduction evidence (from dual-income \$9,800/month to single-income \$4,600/month), attorney fee receipts, and a financial statement showing insolvency.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Dedicated individual specialist assigned from enrollment to graduation (60-80 client caseload vs. 200-300 at the largest firms), providing genuine relationship continuity and faster response times
- Flexible deposit scheduling accommodates variable income — particularly valuable for self-employed, commission-based, or gig-economy workers who cannot commit to fixed monthly amounts
- Strong hardship documentation process strengthens negotiation leverage, particularly for divorce, medical, and business failure cases where well-prepared evidence can reduce settlement percentages by 5-10%
- 15+ years of continuous operations (founded 2009) with AFCC/IAPDA accreditation — a documented settlement record without the impersonal scale of the largest firms
- Program adjustments (deposit changes, creditor prioritization shifts, timeline modifications) can happen in real-time through your specialist rather than requiring formal review processes
Cons
- Available in 40+ states, not all 50 — some states are excluded, so verify availability during your initial consultation
- Smaller firm (\$1B+ resolved, 100-200 employees) has less creditor leverage than Freedom (\$20B+) or ClearOne (\$5B+), which can mean 2-4% higher settlement percentages on accounts where volume leverage matters most
- Lower brand recognition means fewer independent reviews and less third-party validation compared to well-known names like National Debt Relief or Freedom
- The personalized model depends on the quality of your individual specialist — unlike team-based models where multiple negotiators provide redundancy, a single-specialist model carries concentration risk if that person leaves or underperforms
User Reviews (7)
$39k settled efficiently - nothing fancy just results
Countrywide Debt Relief doesn't have flashy tech or celebrity endorsements. What they have: competent negotiators who settled my $39k across 5 accounts at 43% average over 28 months. Fees at 19%. Net savings: $14,820. Professional, reliable, gets the job done.
results were average - service was above average
Settlement rates (44% on $31k) were identical to what bigger companies deliver. The service quality was slightly better due to smaller caseloads per rep. If you don't care about brand name and want good service with standard results, Countrywide is a solid pick. Fees at 19%.
dedicated rep model with real responsiveness
My rep Jake returned every call within 4 hours and proactively called me biweekly with updates. $33k enrolled and the communication quality was on par with Pacific Debt. Not all mid-sized companies can match the dedicated service of the premium firms but Countrywide does.
consumer debt only - no tax or business
Like most mid-sized firms, Countrywide only handles consumer unsecured debt. No IRS, no MCA, no business debt. $24k credit cards settled fine (45% average) but I had to find separate help for my $12k IRS bill. One-stop shops like CuraDebt have an advantage for multi-type debt situations.
BBB A+ and IAPDA member - properly credentialed
Verified Countrywide's accreditations before enrolling: A+ BBB, IAPDA member. Clean complaint history. $27k enrolled and everything proceeded professionally. When you see a mid-sized company with proper credentials and clean records, that's a good sign.
less leverage on difficult creditors
Easy accounts settled great (store cards at 36-38%). Discover settled at 54%. The gap between easy and hard creditors was wider than what I've seen reported through NDR or FDR. Smaller firms may lack the institutional relationships needed to move stubborn creditors efficiently. $36k enrolled, 46% average overall.
very little public information available
When I was researching, I could barely find independent reviews or press about Countrywide. No articles, minimal social media presence, few reviews. My experience was fine ($18k settled at 44%) but the information vacuum made me anxious throughout. Companies should invest in being findable and verifiable.
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Important Debt Relief Disclaimers
- Debt settlement programs may negatively affect your credit score. When you enroll, you typically stop making payments to creditors, which results in late payments, collections, and potential charge-offs on your credit report.
- There is no guarantee that a debt settlement company can settle all of your debts or reduce them by a specific amount. Creditors are not required to negotiate or accept settlement offers.
- Debt settlement fees are typically 15%-25% of the enrolled debt amount. You should not pay fees before a debt has been successfully settled. The FTC prohibits debt settlement companies from charging upfront fees before settling at least one debt.
- Forgiven debt of $600 or more may be considered taxable income by the IRS. You may receive a Form 1099-C from creditors for canceled debt. Consult a tax professional about potential tax consequences.
- Creditors may continue collection efforts, including lawsuits, wage garnishment, and bank levies, while you are enrolled in a debt settlement program. A debt settlement company cannot guarantee protection from legal action.
- Alternatives to debt settlement include debt consolidation loans, credit counseling through nonprofit agencies, debt management plans, and bankruptcy. Consider all options and consult with a licensed financial advisor or attorney before enrolling in any debt relief program.
- Zogby does not provide debt relief services. We are an independent comparison service. We do not negotiate with creditors on your behalf or manage debt settlement accounts.
This page is informational, not financial or legal advice. Talk to a qualified professional before making any big money decisions.
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