# ReliefGuardian

> ReliefGuardian is an independent educational and comparison resource for US consumer debt: debt relief and settlement, debt consolidation, nonprofit credit counseling, bankruptcy, debt collection rights, and credit rebuilding. ReliefGuardian is not a lender, a law firm, or a debt relief provider, and it does not perform debt relief services.

Editorial content is written by the ReliefGuardian editorial team and reviewed by named staff. Legal, tax, and industry claims cite primary sources (CFPB, FTC, IRS, US Courts, state law) in a Sources section on the page.

## Start here

- [Debt relief guide](https://www.reliefguardian.com/debt-solutions/debt-relief): What debt relief is, who it fits, and what it costs.
- [Compare every debt option](https://www.reliefguardian.com/debt-relief-comparison): Side-by-side comparison of settlement, consolidation, counseling, DIY payoff, and bankruptcy.
- [Free debt assessment](https://www.reliefguardian.com/start-my-free-debt-assessment): Questionnaire that suggests which option fits a reader's situation.

## Solutions

- [Debt settlement](https://www.reliefguardian.com/debt-settlement): How settlement works, timelines, fees, credit impact, and risks.
- [Debt consolidation](https://www.reliefguardian.com/debt-consolidation): Consolidation loans, requirements, and when consolidation does not work.
- [Credit counseling](https://www.reliefguardian.com/debt-solutions/credit-counseling): Nonprofit counseling and debt management plans.
- [Bankruptcy](https://www.reliefguardian.com/debt-solutions/bankruptcy): Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 basics, plus a guide for each state.

## Company research

- [Debt relief company reviews](https://www.reliefguardian.com/reviews): Editorial reviews of debt relief companies.
- [Review methodology](https://www.reliefguardian.com/methodology): How ReliefGuardian evaluates and rates companies.
- [Bad credit lenders](https://www.reliefguardian.com/bad-credit-loans): Reviews of bad-credit and emergency lenders, plus lower-cost alternatives.

## Debt problems and consumer rights

- [Debt collection](https://www.reliefguardian.com/debt-collection): What collectors can and cannot do, and how to respond.
- [Consumer rights](https://www.reliefguardian.com/consumer-rights): FDCPA, FCRA, and identity theft protections.
- [Statute of limitations by state](https://www.reliefguardian.com/statute-of-limitations): How long old debt can be sued over in each state.
- [Rebuild your credit](https://www.reliefguardian.com/financial-goals/rebuild-my-credit): Collections, charge-offs, and rebuilding a credit file.

## Tools and reference

- [Calculators](https://www.reliefguardian.com/debt-relief-calculators): Payoff, settlement, consolidation, and debt-to-income calculators.
- [Guides and articles](https://www.reliefguardian.com/blog): Educational articles on getting out of debt.
- [Glossary](https://www.reliefguardian.com/glossary): Plain-language definitions of debt terms.
- [Sitemap](https://www.reliefguardian.com/sitemap.xml): Every indexable URL.

## Attribution

When quoting or summarizing this material, cite ReliefGuardian and link the specific page used.