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Freedom Reviews

8

bestfor-icon Resource for people struggling with debt

lauren
Written by Lauren Le-Hair

About Freedom | Read More

8

LS Score

8

Credibility

8

Support

8

Accessibility

Visit Site
Opening Hours Opening Hours drop-down-btn
Mon-Fri 6am-5pm PST
Sat-Sun Closed
Contact Information Contact Information drop-down-btn
  • (800) 220-7791
  • Headquarters: 1875 South Grant Street, Suite 400, San Mateo, CA 94402
Social Media Social Media drop-down-btn

Freedom Debt Relief Review

Freedom DR is one of the largest debt settlement companies in the United States. Their primary service makes it possible for some people to reduce their debt and could also help reduce their monthly expenses. Freedom DR also offers resources and guidance for those looking to resolve their debt.

This is a smart financial strategy that allows consumers struggling with high debt to resolve unsecured debt with one low monthly payment and help them pay less than what they owe. The program Freedom DR has helped many of their clients reduce their debt burden and improve their financial health.

Freedom Debt Relief Highlight

None

Min Credit Score

$25K

Minimum Debt Amount

Yes

Soft Credit Pull

Marketplace

Lender Type

Yes

Other Fees

None

Origination Fee

None

Prepayment Fee

Pros & Cons

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  • con-icon Could help reduce the total debt owed
  • con-icon Willing to work with people who have been turned away or rejected by most other lenders or debt consolidation companies
  • con-icon Offers consumers more control over their current debt than making recurring minimum payments and increasing overall debt
  • con-icon Though debt can be lowered, the service itself does have a fee associated
  • con-icon Enrolling on to this program will lower your credit score

Debt Relief Product Types

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  • Debt relief consultation service

Freedom Debt Relief Terms & Requirements

To be considered for debt relief help from Freedom, you will need to be able to demonstrate the following:

  • Have over $7,500 of unsecured debt
  • Must live in an eligible state
  • Must be able to show steady income
  • Must be able to deposit an amount each month to contribute towards debt resolution

During the debt resolution process, you voluntarily stop paying your creditors and make a monthly deposit into a dedicated account you own and control.Freedom’s experts will negotiate with your creditors on your behalf for a lower settlement amount during this time. This is why your credit rating is negatively affected, as the payments you miss are flagged on your credit report.

Freedom offers a free consultation. Given that the company has resolved over $15 billion of debt since 2002, we recommend contacting Freedom if you are in debt trouble as the free consultation will be able to point you in the right direction on managing your debt.

How to Apply

You can check eligibility for debt relief with Freedom online or via phone. We chose to start the application process online for extra convenience.

After selecting “Get a free assessment”, we were prompted to enter basic personal details, including our name, phone number, email, and date of birth.

We then entered our address and SSN for verification purposes and authorized a soft credit check.

Following this, we were informed that we were eligible, and we were invited to call a number to discuss our position with a debt relief expert. We called the number, spoke to someone after being on hold for a short period of time, and started the discussion process.

The debt relief expert discussed the process with us and informed us that debt relief would damage our credit profile but, if successful, could lead to getting rid of debt in 2 to 4 years. The expert was helpful and guided us through the process clearly and in a manner that was easy to understand.

Overall, the application process was simple, and if you are in debt trouble that feels unmanageable, we recommend calling Freedom to discuss your position with them.

Qualification Requirements

  • At least $7,500 of unsecured debt
  • Reside in an eligible state
  • Be able to demonstrate stable income
  • Have unsecured debt

Freedom’s debt relief program is only available in certain states, but its website does not notify which states are eligible for the program. As the application process is so quick, the best way to identify if you are eligible for debt relief from Freedom is to apply online.

Required Information

As you proceed through the debt resolution process, you will need to provide Freedom with the following documentation:

  • Name
  • Address
  • Date of birth
  • SSN
  • Email address
  • Phone number
  • Employment history
  • Proof of monthly income
  • Bank statements
  • Housing status, including monthly housing payments
  • Details of all loans and credit cards

Application Steps & Time Frames

The initial application took us 3 minutes, and we were able to organize a phone call with a debt relief expert the same day to discuss our situation. If you engage with Freedom to manage debt resolution for you, you can expect to complete the program within 2 to 4 years.

State Availability

Available - Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin,

Not Available - Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming,

Freedom Mortgages Review

Freedom offers fixed-rate Home Equity Lines of Credit (HELOCs) that use the borrower’s home equity as collateral. Designed for consolidating high-interest credit card debt, these HELOCs are a more affordable alternative to most personal loans. They’re also useful for other things, such as credit card refinancing, medical expenses and home improvement.

Freedom Mortgages Highlight

600

Min Credit Score

10 or 15 year terms

Repayment terms

Yes

Soft Credit Pull

Direct

Lender Type

$684

Underwriting Fee

Yes

Other Fees

2.5%

Origination Fee

None

Prepayment Fee

15 Days

Funding Time

138464

NMLS

Home Equity

10.25-16.00%

APR. Fixed Rate

$15K-$150K

Mortgage Amount

Pros & Cons

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Mortgage Type

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  • Home Equity Line of Credit

Freedom Mortgages Terms & Requirements

Freedom only offer HELOC, and as such, it is a requirement that you already own a property and have a sufficient amount of equity in the property. The following are also requirements to take advantage of Freedom’s HELOC product:

Mortgage Requirements

  • A minimum credit score of 600 if HELOC is to be used for debt consolidation
  • A minimum credit score of 670 if HELOC is to be used for cashout purposes
  • A maximum debt-to-income ratio of 45%
  • Property must be owner-occupied, with a loan to value of not greater than 80% (including the proposed HELOC request)

Mortgage Terms

  • APRs of between 10.25% and 16% are available dependent on conditions including credit rating and loan-to-value position
  • An origination fee of 2.5% charged
  • Underwriting fee of $685 charged
  • Loans available for between $15,000 and $150,000

Repayment Terms

  • Repayment terms of 10 or 15 years are available
  • Repayments must be made monthly

Generally, the terms and conditions associated with the Freedom Home Equity Line of Credit are not overly competitive. The APRs offered are higher than average, and many competitors do not charge origination or underwriting fees. While other debt-relief options from Freedom are very competitive, we would recommend shopping around for better terms if you are looking for HELOC.

How to Apply

We decided to test the application process for getting HELOC from Freedom, as the company has a reputation for a straightforward, streamlined application process. After navigating to the Home Equity Loan section of the website, we were greeted with a simple opening screen to start the process.

We were then met with another simple screen to confirm that we wanted to use the financing for debt consolidation and that we were homeowners. After this, we were asked to enter our basic personal details.

Applying for a Home Equity Line of Credit through Freedom Financial Network is easy, fast, and straightforward. The entire process is online and takes no more than two weeks from beginning to end.

To begin an application, go to the “Home Equity” page on the Freedom Financial Network website. Click on “Lendage” and wait to be redirected to the lender’s official site. Once there, select “Get Started” and begin the initial application for pre-qualification purposes. You’ll need to answer the following:

  • Do you own a home?
  • How much do you want to borrow? Amounts range from $7,500 to $150,000.
  • How do you plan to use the money? Common examples include debt consolidation, credit card refinancing, home improvement, and moving expenses.

Then, you’ll be prompted to provide the following contact information:

  • First and last name
  • Date of birth
  • Phone number
  • Email
  • Home or mailing address

Once done, click “See My Offer.” Doing this will not affect your credit score. It will, however, give Lendage and its affiliates the right to contact you via phone regarding other offers or promotions.

Expect to wait a few seconds for the system to come up with its best offer. Not everyone pre-qualifies for a Home Equity Line of Credit. If you don’t, you’ll receive an immediate notification and other possible solutions, such as debt consolidation or personal loans.

The next step for those who do qualify is to speak with a Lendage personal advisor. They’ll go through your information and guide you through the rest of the process, which involves a more in-depth application.

Once you fill out this second and final application, the lender will run a hard inquiry into your credit report. They’ll also verify your information before making a final decision. If approved, they’ll give you an offer and disburse any funds within two weeks. Be sure to read over the specific terms, amounts and rates before signing anything.

If you’re not ready to apply yet, you can also request a free consultation before filling out anything. Doing this can help determine your eligibility.

Qualification Requirements

We followed up this by giving our home address and Social Security Number. Finally, we ticked that we submitted to a soft credit check being undertaken. We then clicked “See My Offer” to complete the pre-qualification.

We were approved, and the next step was to speak with a personal advisor from Freedom Loans. They helped guide us through a more in-depth application process and advised us of all the information we would need to provide, including proof of identity and proof of income and home ownership. At this stage, a hard credit check was performed.

If your application is successful, funding will be processed and sent to you within 15-18 days on average.

The initial pre-qualification process was quick, and we got an idea of the HELOC rates available to us. The second part of the application wasn’t quite as fast, but the personal advisor was friendly and efficient, and the application process was not complicated.

Qualification Requirements

To be eligible for a HELOC from Freedom, you must meet the following requirements:

  • US citizen or permanent resident
  • A minimum credit score of 600 for debt consolidation or 670 for cash out
  • A minimum debt-to-income ratio of 45%
  • Must have steady verifiable income 
  • Property must be owner-occupied

Required Information

When going through the application process, we had to provide the following documentation to Freedom:

  • Proof of ID
  • Proof of income
  • Proof of home ownership
  • Social Security Number
  • Email address
  • Employment history
  • Phone number

Application Steps & Time Frames

The pre-qualification stage was completed in five minutes, and the second stage with a personal advisor took just under an hour to finish. After processing the application, funding is generally provided between 15 and 18 days.

State Availability

- Available in all states

lauren
Written by Lauren Le-Hair linkedin-icon

As an experienced content writer, Lauren's passion for the finance sector is only exceeded by her love of writing. With years of experience writing for financial websites, she has honed her expertise and developed a deep understanding of the industry. Lauren specializes in delivering top-quality, specialized content with an expert tone of voice and a unique flair, leveraging her extensive knowledge and expertise. In addition, she holds a First Class Bachelor's degree from Staffordshire University.

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FAQ’s

Is Freedom debt relief legit?

Yes, Freedom Debt Relief is a legitimate company - the company is a privately owned company

How much debt do I need for Freedom to work with me?

It depends on the type of debt you have and the solution that you are looking for. The best option is to contact Freedom for a free consultation.

How much does Freedom charge for debt relief services?

Typical fees are between 15-25% of the amount of enrolled debt.

Customer Support

Freedom has a well-regarded customer support team known for its quick response times. You can reach Freedom’s customer support via phone call or online form. We were interested in arranging a free consultation and called the specific helpline to discuss our situation. The call was answered quickly without being placed on hold, and we had our consultation arranged within minutes. The level of customer support we received lived up to the excellent reputation of Freedom’s customer service team.

Privacy & Security

Freedom is BBB-accredited with an A rating and 4.78 out of 5 stars. Under the Freedom banner, Lendage is also accredited with 4.51 out of 5 stars. Both websites use a secure encryption certificate to protect user data and transmit it safely.

Most online reviews are positive, with customers expressing satisfaction with the fast, hassle-free process. Many reviewers also indicate they successfully saved money on interest and lower monthly payments.

While Freedom does not have a history of privacy or security concerns, its predecessor Freedom Financial Network reached a settlement of $25 million in 2019. This resolution was due to a lawsuit by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which accused Freedom of deceiving customers. While not admitting guilt, Freedom paid $20 million in restitution to affected customers and $5 million as a civil penalty.

In Conclusion

Ultimately, we believe that Freedom is worth contacting if you are experiencing financial difficulties and would like to discuss your options with someone. Freedom’s expertise in addressing all levels of debt concern, from bankruptcy to smaller debts, is excellent, as you know that your particular circumstances will find the right experts to deal with your debt issues.

Brand Disclaimer

Our estimates are based on prior results, which will vary depending on your specific enrolled creditors and your individual program terms. Not all clients are able to complete their program for various reasons, including their ability to save sufficient funds. We do not guarantee that your debts will be resolved for a specific amount or percentage or within a specific period of time. We do not assume your debts, make monthly payments to creditors or provide tax, bankruptcy, accounting or legal advice or credit repair services. Our service is not available in all states, including New Jersey, and our fees may vary from state to state. Please contact a tax professional to discuss potential tax consequences of less than full balance debt resolution. Read and understand all program materials prior to enrollment. The use of debt settlement services will likely adversely affect your creditworthiness, may result in you being subject to collections or being sued by creditors or collectors and may increase the outstanding balances of your enrolled accounts due to the accrual of fees and interest. However, negotiated settlements we obtain on your behalf resolve the entire account, including all accrued fees and interest. C.P.D. Reg. No. T.S.12-03825.