New national initiative debuts at Veterans Day event in Columbus, Ohio.
Washington, D.C., November 12, 2026 – The Association for Consumer Debt Relief (ACDR) this week launched ACDR Vets, a national initiative focused on the financial hurdles many veterans face as they move from military service into civilian life. ACDR announced the initiative yesterday at a Veterans Day event at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus, Ohio, alongside leadership from the Ohio VFW, American Legion, and actor Matthew Modine, who played Private Joker in the film, Full Metal Jacket.
The time after separation from active military service is a known financial pressure point for veterans and their families. A Consumer Financial Protection Bureau study of young veterans' credit records found that delinquencies and defaults ran two to ten times higher in the six months after leaving the military than in the six months before. Through ACDR Vets, ACDR will work to bring these challenges to light and support organizations that stand with veterans throughout their transition back into civilian life.
"We spend a lot of time talking about supporting service members while they serve. The financial transition that comes after deserves the same attention," said ACDR’s President & CEO Jason Mulvihill. "Veterans who fall behind on debt deserve real, regulated options for getting back on their feet, and ACDR Vets will make sure veterans’ experiences are part of the policy conversation."
ACDR advocates for policies that expand access to regulated debt relief in states where it is currently restricted. In states like Ohio, outdated laws prevent consumers from accessing these services. This includes the veterans who no longer receive interest rate cap protections through the Military Lending Act. In these cases, veterans have few options beyond continuing to make minimum payments while interest piles up.
Debt relief offers a different path forward. Instead of making minimum payments that barely cover the interest charges, clients make regular deposits into a savings account that the client owns and controls while a debt relief company negotiates with the client’s creditors to actually reduce the full balance owed.
That is why ACDR advocates for policies that expand access to debt relief where it is restricted today. The model already exists. Federal regulators adopted it more than fifteen years ago. Federal regulations include:
No fees paid to debt relief providers until a debt is settled, approved by the consumer, and the consumer makes a payment on the settlement.
Consumers can leave a debt relief program at any time without penalty or fee on unsettled debt.
Consumers always maintain ownership and control of funds used to settle debts in federally insured accounts.
Clear disclosures are required before a consumer enrolls in any debt settlement program.
States provide additional oversight.
The impact on consumers’ finances is real. A recent EY study found that clients who settled at least one debt saved about $6,370 on average, after fees.
To learn more, visit acdr.org/vets or contact Robert Swanger at rswanger@ACDR.org.
About the Association for Consumer Debt Relief
The Association for Consumer Debt Relief (ACDR) is the national trade association representing the consumer debt relief industry. ACDR advocates for policies that expand access to responsible debt relief options, promote strong consumer protections, and help financially distressed Americans regain financial stability. Its member companies operate under the Federal Trade Commission’s Telemarketing Sales Rule, which prohibits the collection of fees before consumers achieve results, in addition to state laws, ACDR standards, and independent audits.
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