Debt Relief Outcomes Study · 2016–2025

A Decade of Debt Relief, By the Numbers

$19,800,000,000

in debt reduction realized by consumers nationwide over the past decade

10 years of data. 8,100,000 consumers. The most comprehensive study of debt relief outcomes ever conducted.

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Study Credibility & Scale

The Most Comprehensive Study Conducted for This Industry

A 10-year analysis built on real company data, independently scaled.

2,900,000
Consumers in the underlying sample
8,100,000
Consumers represented once scaled
19,700,000
Enrolled accounts in the sample
54,100,000
Accounts represented once scaled

Interactive Data

See the Impact, State by State

Debt relief outcomes for consumers enrolled between 2016 and 2025. Select a metric below, then hover or tap any state on the map.

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Not included in study

Impact at Scale

Over the Past Decade, Debt Relief Has Delivered Value at Scale

$19,800,000,000
Reduced debt realized by consumers nationwide
4,300,000
Clients served
30,000,000
Accounts enrolled
$106,400,000,000
Debt enrolled
98%
Of settlements reduce the principal balance owed, after fees

Who Uses Debt Relief

The Typical Debt Relief Consumer Is Under Significant Financial Strain

Figures reflect the 2016–2022 enrollment cohort only.

$24,920
Average unsecured debt at enrollment
7
Average number of accounts enrolled
610
Median credit score at enrollment — 80% of clients fall in FICO’s “Poor” or “Fair” ranges

In Their Own Words

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Testimonial 1 — client name, TK

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Testimonial 2 — client name, TK

What Consumers Actually Get

Debt Relief Delivers Measurable Value for Consumers

Figures are per-consumer, among consumers with at least one settled account.

$2.50 in debt reduction for every $1 paid in fees

$1Paid in fees
$2.50In debt reduction
Average debt before settlement
$21,320 total debt enrolled
Splits into settlement amount paid and debt reduction
$10,680Settlement amount
$10,640Debt reduction
Debt reduction, less fees, equals net savings
$4,270Fees
$6,370Net savings

Built-In Flexibility

Repayment Flexibility Means Success Isn’t Limited to Consumers With Significant Cash Flow

Settlement structure

Term-based: 90%
Lump-sum: 10%

Term-based settlements use an average of 15 installment payments.

Outcome of term-based settlements

Completed 90%
6%
4%

Completed: 90%   Active: 6%   Broken (consumer stopped paying): 4%

Speed to Benefit

Consumers Realize Meaningful Benefit Within a Year

Figures reflect consumers who ultimately settled at least one account.

Enrollment
Month 0
Month 4
Average time to first settlement
Month 8
Average time to second settlement — and the point by which 96% of consumers who ever reach a first settlement have done so

Progress Isn’t All-or-Nothing

Benefits Aren’t All-or-Nothing

Settlements happen account by account — consumers can realize meaningful debt reduction without settling every enrolled account.

Settlement frequency

Reached at least 1 settlement
72%
Reached at least 2 settlements
64%
Reached at least 3 settlements
59%

Outcomes by consumer status

Active

Debt reduction per $1 of fees$2.30
Avg. net savings (≥1 settled acct.)$1,370

Completed

Debt reduction per $1 of fees$2.50
Avg. net savings (≥1 settled acct.)$7,570

Exited

Debt reduction per $1 of fees$2.60
Avg. net savings (≥1 settled acct.)$2,280

Time to full completion

Within 12 months52%
Within 24 months73%
Within 36 months84%

Of consumers whose enrollment reached “Completed” status, the share who settled all enrolled debt within the stated window.

Table B-1. Summary statistics by state (2016–2025). States not shown on the map were excluded from the underlying analysis. Wisconsin is included in the analysis only through October 2025, the period during which it met ACDR’s inclusion criteria for the study. Settled Debt reflects the debt balance immediately before settlement for settled accounts. Figures throughout this page are rounded as provided in the source study.

Source: EY, “Debt Settlement Program Outcomes, 2016-2025,” prepared for the Association for Consumer Debt Relief (ACDR), September 2026.

© Association for Consumer Debt Relief