On this page
The short answer
This site uses public sources and labels company statements, legal guidance and illustrative arithmetic separately. No private provider dataset or professional review is claimed.
The source order
Use statutes, official courts and regulators for legal claims; agencies for program rules; current creditor or provider disclosures for that organization’s stated policies; and studies with their methods for measured outcomes. A provider statement is evidence of what it represents, not an independent audit.
What a source-check date means
A date records when material was consulted. It does not establish future availability, licensure, a personal legal conclusion or professional signoff. Sources may later change. State guides explicitly identify rule details that have not been established.
Definitions before numbers
Total outstanding debt is a stock at a date. Annual settlements are a flow over a period. An enrolled balance is not collected provider revenue. An accepted agreement is not necessarily a fully paid account. A client meeting a study’s completion threshold may still have unresolved debt.
What is missing
No private creditor-level outcome dataset, complete state-court filing census or named professional reviewer was supplied. We do not fill these gaps with estimated success rates, fabricated fee caps, rankings or a licensing clearance. Public-source company reviews are not an affiliate recommendation.
Illustrations and calculations
Worked examples use stated assumptions and are labeled illustrations. Browser-local calculators show their formulas and omissions. A legal date calculation requires confirmed rule inputs and remains distinct from a legal determination.
Sources & further reading
- CFPB: complaint methodology
- FTC: advertising debt relief and representations
- IRS: cancellation-of-debt definitions
Sources checked October 19, 2026. Rules and programs can change. This article uses AI-assisted research and has not received attorney or other professional signoff. Read our editorial standards.
Keep exploring
Educational guidance for U.S. debt situations. This page does not decide legal rights, eligibility, fees or suitability. If you have a court, property or service deadline, seek appropriate help promptly; reading this page does not extend it.