Mad Debt
What we do

How the program works

What we do, what it costs, and what it can't do. Read it before you speak to anyone, and decide for yourself.

The service

We deal with the creditors so you stop having to

We go directly to your creditors and collection agencies and settle enrolled unsecured accounts for less than you owe on them. Not every account can be enrolled, and we will tell you which ones can.

  • Credit cards and store cards
  • Unsecured personal loans
  • Medical bills
  • Payday loans
  • Certain collection accounts
Lending referrals

Sometimes a loan is the smarter move

Settlement is for people who genuinely can't keep up. If the numbers say you can, borrowing is usually cheaper and does less damage to your credit. We'd rather send you there than sign you up for the wrong thing.

  • We're a referral partner, not the lender
  • The lender decides the rate, the terms and who gets approved
  • Whether you apply is entirely your call, made with the lender
  • The lender's terms govern the loan, not ours
Fees

What it costs

How we are paid

Who actually pays us

On the program, you do — and only once an account has actually settled. On a lending referral, the lender pays us and you don't. You'll be told which of the two applies before anything gets signed.

Questions

The awkward ones

Will this hurt my credit?

Most likely, yes. Accounts being negotiated often go delinquent first, and that is recorded. Anyone who tells you a settlement program protects your credit is not being straight with you. What it can do is end the debt.

How much will you settle my debt for?

We cannot tell you up front, and neither can anyone else honestly. It depends on the creditor, the age of the account and what they will take. You will see a real number when we have an actual offer in hand, and not before.

Do creditors have to negotiate with you?

No. No creditor is under any obligation to negotiate or to accept a settlement. Most do, because a partial recovery beats a write-off, but it is never guaranteed.

Can I still be sued while I am in the program?

Yes. Enrolling does not stop a creditor from filing suit, and we cannot represent you if one does. We are not a law firm. If that happens we will tell you straight away.

Will the calls stop?

Not automatically, and be wary of anyone who says otherwise. Collection activity, interest and fees can carry on while an account is being negotiated, and an enrolled balance can grow before it is settled.

What kinds of debt can be enrolled?

Unsecured accounts: credit cards, store cards, unsecured personal loans, medical debt and some collection accounts. Not mortgages, not car loans, not student loans, not tax debt, not child support.

Where does my money sit while this is going on?

In an FDIC-insured account opened in your name. It is not our money and we cannot spend it. You can see the balance, and nothing leaves it without your approval on a specific settlement.

How long does it take?

It depends entirely on how many accounts are enrolled, what you can put aside each month and how quickly creditors move. Anyone who gives you a finish date on a first call is guessing.

Do you lend money?

No. Where a loan is the better route we introduce you to third-party lenders, and they decide whether to lend and on what terms. We do not fund loans, set rates or make credit decisions.

What happens if I want to stop?

You can leave at any point, with no penalty and nobody trying to talk you out of it. The money in your account is yours and comes back to you, less any fees already earned on accounts that were genuinely settled.

Not sure if you qualify?

Call and we'll walk through it. If this isn't right for you, that's what you'll hear.