- Home/
- Debt Consolidation/
- JG Wentworth vs. National Debt Relief: Which Debt Settlement Program Fits You?
JG Wentworth vs. National Debt Relief: Which Debt Settlement Program Fits You?
August 5, 2026
August 5, 2026
These companies negotiate with creditors to reduce credit card debt, personal loans, and other unsecured debt.
Some consumers, and even lending experts, are cautious about debt settlement. Others find it a favorable option. In a recent Debt.com survey of 1,144 Americans, 89% said they were aware of debt settlement. 58% considered it effective, outpacing the 49% who saw bankruptcy as helpful. Among respondents who had already resolved debt, 30% had used debt settlement, compared with 44% who filed bankruptcy and 20% who used a debt management plan.
JG Wentworth and National Debt Relief are two established, highly rated debt settlement companies. If you're carrying $10,000 or more in unsecured debt, settlement is one option worth exploring. This article walks you through exactly how these two programs stack up by comparison.
Feature | JG Wentworth | National Debt Relief |
|---|---|---|
Founded | 1991 (debt relief division launched 2019) | 2009 |
Program fee | 18%–25% of enrolled debt | Up to 25% of enrolled debt (no published floor) |
Minimum debt | Not published; calculator accepts amounts starting at $7,500 | Inconsistent across its own site: $7,500 on one page, $10,000+ on others |
State availability | 30 states plus Washington, D.C. (direct); other states may be referred to a partner law firm | 45 states plus Washington, D.C., Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands |
BBB rating | A+ | A+ |
Program length | 24–60 months (average ~42 months) | 24–48 months |
Dedicated account fee | Charged separately; amount disclosed in your enrollment contract | Charged separately; amount not published |
JG Wentworth was founded in 1991 as a structured-settlement buyer and launched its debt relief division in 2019. Its site reports more than 375,000 customers and $2.2 billion in settled debt across its debt relief program.
Pros
Cons
National Debt Relief has focused on debt settlement since its founding in 2009 and has resolved over $11.5 billion in enrolled debt for more than 1.3 million clients, according to its website.
Pros
Cons
Both JG Wentworth and National Debt Relief, like most debt settlement companies, follow a similar process:
Here's what matters: Neither company can charge you fees until a settlement is actually reached. That's not company policy, it's federal law. The FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule prohibits debt settlement companies that sell by phone, which is nearly all of them, from collecting fees before settling a debt.
Both companies advertise accreditation from industry bodies including the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators. Verify current membership directly with the accrediting organization, since these listings can lapse.
The fee is the first thing to compare, because it determines how much of your savings you actually keep.
Run the numbers on $25,000 in credit card debt at JG Wentworth. At 18%, you pay $4,500 in fees. At 25%, you pay $6,250. That $1,750 spread comes out of what you save by settling, and neither company publishes the exact percentage you'll actually be charged. Ask for your specific number in writing before you sign.
Confirm that your specific accounts qualify before you enroll too. A program that can't touch your largest balance won't solve your problem, so verify both the fee and your eligibility upfront rather than assuming either one.
We reviewed the official program pages for both JG Wentworth and National Debt Relief, cross-referenced their claims with independent sources, and analyzed ratings across the BBB, Trustpilot, and ConsumerAffairs. We also reviewed regulatory guidance from the FTC, CFPB, and IRS to ensure the process descriptions and tax implications are accurate.
This article reflects publicly available information and verified third-party data. Where specific program details, like fee ranges or debt minimums, are cited, they come directly from each company's official website.
Expert Tip: Before you sign up for debt settlement, understand what it will do to your credit. You'll have to stop paying your cards, which will drop your score, and any nonpayments can stay on your credit report for seven years.
Let's imagine you're carrying $30,000 in credit card debt:
The fee is charged per debt, as each account settles, not as a single percentage of everything you enroll. If a creditor refuses to settle, you owe no fee on that account. JG Wentworth says your rate may vary by state and by how much debt you enroll. National Debt Relief doesn't publish what determines its rate, so ask for your specific percentage in writing.
Expert Tip: Don't assume every creditor will negotiate. It varies by creditor, and some refuse outright. If a company promises it can settle all of your debts, or asks for a fee before a debt is actually settled, treat both as red flags, and in the latter case, it is a violation of the FTC's advance-fee ban.
The settlement percentage isn't the only cost. Your monthly deposits go into a dedicated account, and that account carries its own fees, separate from what the settlement company charges.
Neither company publishes the actual dollar amount online, so ask for a specific number before you enroll.
Both companies advertise similar average savings on settled debts:
Savings Metric | JG Wentworth | National Debt Relief |
|---|---|---|
Average savings before fees | 46% | 45% |
Approximate savings after fees | Not published | 20% |
What Does This Look Like on $25,000 in Debt?
What Affects Your Actual Savings?
The after-fee range for JG Wentworth is a BestMoney calculation based on the company's published average savings and its disclosed fee range. National Debt Relief's after-fee figure is the company's own.
Neither company publishes a single, consistent minimum, which makes this harder to pin down than it should be.
If you're carrying less than $10,000 in unsecured debt, ask each company directly during your free consultation rather than relying on a published figure. It's also worth asking a nonprofit credit counselor whether a debt management plan makes more sense at that balance, since settlement fees take a bigger proportional bite out of smaller debts.
Both programs work only with unsecured debt, meaning debt that isn't tied to an asset.
If you're carrying medical bills, collections accounts, or business debt, ask directly rather than assuming.
Neither program can settle secured debts such as auto loans and mortgages, because the lender can simply repossess or foreclose instead of negotiating. Debt settlement also doesn't apply to federal student loans, tax debt, or child support, which have their own relief programs and legal protections.
Both companies hold A+ Better Business Bureau ratings and strong scores across consumer review sites, generally in the mid to high 4s out of 5. The meaningful difference is scale.
Expert Tip: More reviews don't mean better service, but a larger sample makes the average more reliable. Read the one-star reviews at both companies before you enroll. Complaints in this industry are usually around the same themes: settlements taking longer than expected, monthly payments rising, and creditors suing during the program.
When you enroll in a debt settlement program, expect your credit score to drop, and expect the damage to outlast the program.
Creditors generally won't reduce a principal balance while your account is current, so settlement depends on falling behind. That means you have to stop paying your bills, which can be extremely stressful for some people.
Either way, the missed payments are what create the leverage.
Missed payments carry serious consequences:
National Debt Relief states on its website that it doesn't provide credit repair services or advice on improving your credit. Rebuilding your credit is on you, starting after the last account settles.
If your credit score needs to stay intact, for a mortgage application or a job that checks credit, settlement is the wrong tool. A debt management plan through a nonprofit credit counselor works differently and is worth pricing out first.
The right program depends on your situation.
Neither program fits everyone. If your debt is mostly secured or includes federal student loans, you'll need to look at other approaches to managing debt consolidation. The CFPB also publishes guidance on evaluating debt relief programs.
If you're thinking about using a debt settlement company, like JG Wentworth or National Debt Relief, here's how to move forward:
It's also worth seeing how these two compare to debt consolidation options for bad credit and other strategies for paying off debt faster before you commit.
Maya Dollarhide is a Journalist for bestmoney.com, specializing in personal finance and consumer lending. She earned her MS in Journalism from Columbia University and has written for TIME, Yahoo Finance, Investopedia, Bankrate, Forbes, CNN, and AARP. Her work focuses on creating SEO-driven content, developing K-12 financial literacy curriculum, and producing B2B content for financial services clients.
