5.0
Based in San Diego, California, Credit First Financial is a debt relief company that provides services to customers with mostly unsecured debt, be that from credit card debt, personal loan debt, or other forms of debt.
While we don’t know how long the company has been in business, its website states that its debt experts have decades of experience in the debt relief industry. The company seeks to help as many Americans as possible to get out of debt by helping them get out of the debt cycle and negotiating with creditors and lenders on its clients’ behalf.
The company does not disclose if it has a minimum debt requirement.
Credit First Financial offers a free consultation before customers are obligated to pay anything. This is the industry standard and should be the case with any debt relief company you consider working with.
One feature that we really like about Credit First Financial is that it gives some example pricing structures on its site. While the company is clear that calculations on its site are just estimates and that each case will be a little different, the transparency in posting pricing at all is not something we see with a lot of debt relief companies.
Pricing in the debt relief industry is often quote based, and as such, a lot of firms won’t even give ballpark figures for how much customers will end up paying to use their services. This is a disadvantage to customers who might be researching debt relief options for the first time and do not even know how to recognize outrageous pricing when they see it.
Credit First Financial lists four payment examples for clients with total debt ranging from $25,000 to $100,000. The company also provides an estimate of monthly savings for customers, ranging from $250 to $1,518 per month, depending on what plan length is chosen.
To break down one example even further, a Credit First Financial customer entering the company’s 48-month, debt-free program with $60,000 of debt could reduce his or her monthly payment by as much as $911 by using Credit First’s services.
Credit First Financial is accredited by the IAPDA and is a member of the AFCC. Some debt relief companies lack these industry accreditations that help set standards for ethical business practices, so we are happy to see that Credit First has received these recognitions and adheres to industry best practices.
Credit First Financial offers a few different services to customers looking for debt relief.
One option is debt resolution, in which the company negotiates with your creditor(s) to reduce the amount of debt you owe. This process, if an agreement is reached, also eliminates any interest or fees associated with your enrolled debt. Debt resolution is only available to those with certain types of debt, such as credit card debt, unsecured personal loans, medical debt, or collection debt. Other types of debt do not qualify for debt resolution, such as tax debt, federal loans, mortgages, auto loans, or utility bill debt.
Another option if customers don’t qualify for debt resolution is credit counseling. With this option, no debt amounts will be reduced and individuals are still expected to pay their debt in full. However, working with a credit counselor can help you make better financial decisions and may lead to you being more efficient in paying off your debt by making a payment plan with a qualified debt professional.
Credit First Financial’s website is a little unclear on whether the company actually offers all of the services it explains, or if its representatives act more as guides to help you find the right debt relief option for you. We would appreciate a little more information as to what services Credit First Financial can help you with.
Compared to other companies we’ve reviewed, Credit First Financial doesn’t disclose as much information. For example, we can’t find if the company has a minimum debt requirement, or how much it charges (as a percentage of enrolled debt) for its services.
Overall, the company’s website is pretty basic and leaves us with a lot of unanswered questions.
Credit First Financial does not have very many customer reviews. This is not a good sign, as reviews are often crucial in helping potential customers make a decision to use the company’s services or not.
The lack of reviews means Credit First either has not helped a lot of customers yet, or that its customers don’t have strong enough opinions about the company to write a review. We would like to see more reviews from Credit First Financial customers before we could make a judgment call about whether this company really helps clients find relief from their debts.
Credit First Financial has a noble mission — to help as many Americans as possible resolve their debts. However, the lack of information and reviews about the company make us hesitant to recommend its services without knowing more about the company’s requirements and success rate.
We suggest calling the company to learn more and schedule a free consultation, or considering another debt relief company that shows more transparency.
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melrose1989 Marion, IL
2 years ago
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