Finance Experts Warn Veterans
Skip the Consolidation Loan. The Veteran Fresh Start Program Could Eliminate Up to 50% of Your Debt Instead.
Thousands of veterans are negotiating their debt down without borrowing more. See if you qualify in about 2 minutes.
How much debt do you owe?
Checking your options won't affect your credit score.
If you served and you're carrying credit card balances, you've probably been offered a debt consolidation loan: one new loan that rolls everything together. It sounds like relief. But for people already stretched thin, finance experts warn it can dig the hole deeper.
⚠ Why another loan often backfires
- You still owe every dollar. The balance moves onto a new loan. Your total debt doesn't shrink.
- The clock resets for years. A lower payment usually means a longer term and thousands more in interest.
- The cards fill back up. Many borrowers run the cleared cards back up and end up owing both.
What veterans are doing instead
Rather than borrowing more, they're using The Veteran Fresh Start Program, a regulated debt-resolution program that negotiates what you owe, often settling for less than the full balance. A creditor would usually rather accept a negotiated amount than risk collecting nothing at all.
- 1
Tell us what you owe
Pick your debt range below. It takes about 2 minutes and won't affect your credit score.
- 2
Get matched
A licensed debt-resolution provider reviews your balances and income.
- 3
Work toward paying less
They negotiate with your creditors to settle for less than you owe, in one monthly deposit.
“Is this legit?”
Yes. Debt-resolution providers are state-licensed, and under a federal FTC rule they can't charge you a fee until they've actually settled a debt. It isn't a loan, so there's nothing new to pay back.
- 100% confidential
- Won't affect your credit to check
- Free & no obligation
How much unsecured debt do you owe?
Credit cards, personal loans, and medical bills. See if you qualify in about 2 minutes.
Checking your options won't affect your credit score.