Top Debt Management Plan Companies in 2024

Feeling overwhelmed by your debt? A debt management plan is often a smart solution.

This debt payoff option puts you on a path to pay off your debts — typically from credit cards — over three to five years. With a debt management plan, several debts are rolled into one monthly payment as part of a payment plan, and creditors may reduce your interest rate, making the debts easier to pay off and saving you money in the long run.

Credit counseling agencies offer debt management plans with fees. Fees are typically capped and vary based on where you live and the amount of debt you have. In some cases, fees may be reduced or waived based on financial hardship.

» MORE: How do debt management plans work?

How to choose the best debt management company

Though other companies, like debt settlement companies, may offer credit counseling services, it’s best to go with a nonprofit organization. Here are some tips for narrowing down your search:

• Check accreditations: Look for an agency that's a member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling or the Financial Counseling Association of America. These organizations put consumer needs first, help set strict industry standards for counselors and require member agencies to be accredited by a third-party organization (and re-accredited every few years).

• Ask for a free consultation: Reputable credit counseling agencies will offer a free phone call or debt analysis, so a counselor can go over your debts with you and explore your options. It’s important to take advantage of this phone call or analysis, which requires no commitment on your end, so you can get a feel for whether a debt management plan is the right fit.

• Get a rundown of costs: Fees vary by agency, the state you live in and your financial need. Before you sign up, verify how much you’ll pay each month toward your debt and in fees.

• Consider whether you want in-person services: Some credit counseling agencies have physical branches, where you can meet with a counselor face-to-face.

Is working with a debt management company right for you?

Debt management plans are a great way to get out of debt, but they’re not a magical fix. A debt management plan requires financial discipline, since you’ll need to commit to paying down your debt over three to five years. You might consider a debt management plan if you:

• Have mostly unsecured debt: Debt management plans are available for unsecured debt like credit cards and personal loans. Secured debts, such as a car loan, are not eligible for debt management plans, since they’re backed by collateral. 

• Are struggling to stay on top of payments: If you’re only able to make the minimum payment on your debts — or are starting to miss payments — a debt management plan can help you avoid late fees and collection calls, while potentially lowering your interest rate, so you can get the debt back under control.

• Have a steady income: Because you’ll need to show you can make payments toward your debts each month, most credit counseling agencies require a steady income and may ask for proof of income, such as your most recent pay stub. 

• Can’t qualify for other debt payoff options: Other debt consolidation products, like balance-transfer cards, can help you pay down debt with no interest, but you need good or excellent credit (690 score or higher) to qualify. A debt management plan has no credit score requirement.

• Won’t need access to credit while on the plan: Credit counseling agencies typically require you to close your enrolled accounts while on the plan and avoid opening new lines of credit. Some agencies may allow you to leave one credit card open for emergencies.

Alternatives to debt management companies

If a debt management plan isn’t the right choice for you, there are other options available.

Do-it-yourself debt payoff

If you’re not feeling overwhelmed by debt, but just need a plan to get out of it, consider using a tried-and-true debt payoff method such as the debt avalanche or debt snowball method. Either can be a surprisingly effective way to get out of debt, and you won’t need any outside help.

With the debt avalanche method, you pay down your debt with the highest interest rate first, then the second-highest and so-on, applying your growing savings in interest as you work your way down. With the debt snowball method, you pay your smallest debt first, then your second-smallest and so-on, building momentum with quick wins.

Debt consolidation loans

If you want to consolidate your debts into one payment, similar to a debt management plan, you can take out a debt consolidation loan from an online lender or credit union, and use the money from the loan to pay off all your debts at once. You then repay the loan at a fixed interest rate over a set term, usually up to seven years. These loans are available to borrowers across the credit spectrum, but make sure you get a rate that’s lower than your current debts.

Debt relief