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At this point, you’ve probably heard the “Debt Stoppers” jingle at least once… and if you’re like most people, it stuck longer than you wanted it to.
But beyond the marketing, what actually is Debt Stoppers?
More importantly:
What do they do?
What does it cost?
And are they actually a good option for your situation?
That’s what we’re going to break down here, along with real reviews and some alternatives worth considering.
If you’ve been falling behind on payments and researching debt relief, there’s a good chance you’ve come across Debt Stoppers.
They position themselves as “A Debt Relief Agency Practicing Bankruptcy Law” and operate as a bankruptcy law firm with offices across multiple states.
From California to Florida, they promote services like:
$0 down bankruptcy filings
Remote consultations
Help handling your case from start to finish
They also emphasize convenience, being able to go through the process without leaving your home.
Two of their main office hubs are in Atlanta, GA, and Chicago, IL.
They also promote a simple message:
→ File bankruptcy with $0 down
Which sounds great, but it raises an important question:
What does it actually cost in the end?
The $0 down offer gets attention, but it doesn’t tell you the full picture.
Because, regardless of how you start, bankruptcy still has real costs:
Attorney fees
Filing fees
Payment plans (depending on the chapter)
Instead of guessing what your situation might cost, it helps to see a real estimate based on where you live and your financial profile.
Which is what the calculator below is designed to do.
It gives you a realistic estimate of:
→ What bankruptcy may cost in your area
→ Whether you may qualify
→ And what your payment structure could look like
The key takeaway here is:
$0 down doesn’t mean $0 total.
Attorney fees vary on a number of things:
In addition to attorney fees, there are also court filing fees.
Before choosing any company, it’s worth looking at real reviews.
And like most companies in this space, Debt Stoppers has a mix.
On Debt Stoppers’ website, reviews tend to highlight:
Fast processes
Successful case outcomes
Helpful attorneys
Many reviewers mention feeling relieved after going through bankruptcy.
That said, reviews on a company’s own website are usually curated, so it’s helpful to look elsewhere too.
With all of the positive reviews, can there be any negative reviews? According to multiple different sources, yes, there can be. Aside from Debt Stoppers’ website, every review platform that has positive reviews also has negative reviews.
Most of the complaints center around unmet expectations. Either the reviewer’s case was not handled well, they were not treated with respect, or the outcome they hoped for didn’t happen.
Let’s start taking a look at some specific reviews. We are going to start with Google reviews of two of their main offices: Atlanta and Chicago.
Debt Stoppers’ Atlanta office has 278 Google reviews, with an average rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars. The reviews are definitely more positive, however, there is something interesting to note. Not only are there much fewer new reviews, but the majority of the new reviews are also very poor, only one or two stars.
On the positive side, there are many highly rated reviews. A lot of the higher-rated reviews tell of great success stories! The reviewer above noted that, though they were nervous at the thought of filing for bankruptcy, their attorney helped them feel confident and comfortable. They seemed very relieved at the end of their process. Many positive reviews have something similar to say.
On the other hand, there are many negative reviews that warn others to stay away. In this reviewer’s case, she had her car towed because her attorney had not submitted her paperwork on time. Many other negative reviews noted that they felt as though they were just a number and not an individual who needed help.
Many negative reviews also mentioned that Debt Stoppers were money hungry. Some said they were double or tripled charged without receiving a refund. One person even said that Debt Stoppers began pulling twice the agreed-upon amount directly from their paycheck.
The Chicago Google Reviews are similar. There are 1,000 reviews, with an average rating of 4.4 stars out of five. Just as with Atlanta, it appears as though the most recent reviews tend to be more negative than the majority of their older reviews. The positive reviews speak of easy cases, forgiven debt, and fast processes. The negative reviews report rude customer service, unattentive attorneys, and careless mistakes that deeply hurt the reviewer.
Next, we are going to take a look at Trust Pilot.
TrustPilot has 613 Debt Stoppers reviews on its site. Of the 613 reviews, the average rating is 4.3 out of 5 stars. As always, there is a mix of good and bad reviews.
The above reviewer was incredibly pleased with their service. Their attorney was attentive, hardworking, and made sure the reviewer was comfortable with everything that was going on. Filing for bankruptcy can be a confusing and stressful time, so having an expert who is able to answer your questions is key to staying calm in situations like this.
There are many other positive reviews that assure readers that their case was handled professionally and gave them peace after being overwhelmed with debt.
However, there are also many negative reviews. Some negative reviews seem to complain about the bankruptcy process in general, however, some complaints are specific to the company itself.
For example, this reviewer states that working with Debt Stoppers was the worst experience she had ever had. The lack of communication, incorrect information, and disjointed scheduling left this reviewer caught in the middle and unsure of what to do. Unfortunately, this can be one of the biggest factors that can cause a case to be dismissed. If the debtor is absent from multiple meetings, it's likely that the court will not continue reviewing the case.
The other negative reviews are similar to those found on Google. Either clients complained that too much money was taken from them without warning, or they were unable to contact their attorney once they had signed their papers.
While there are only 52 reviews on Debt Stoppers found on Yelp, they are, surprisingly, all pretty negative. Yelp has given Debt Stoppers an average rating of 2.1 out of 5 stars, based on the reviews left.
Many reviewers complain that, once they signed the papers to work with Debt Stoppers, they weren’t treated as well as they had been. In fact, one person said that, while they could reach their attorney any time before they officially signed their papers, once they signed, they could only get in touch with customer service.
Another reviewer said that the consultation call felt more like a sales pitch rather than an informational and advisement call. They said they felt pressured to sign up to work with them at the end of the call, which made the company feel less like a law firm and more like a bankruptcy business.
There are a few good reviews on Yelp, though not many. The few positive reviews simply state that Debt Stoppers did what they advertised. They filed the bankruptcy, walked the client through the process, and were able to answer questions.
If Debt Stoppers doesn’t feel like the right fit, that’s completely reasonable.
You have options, and choosing the right one depends on your situation.
Luckily, there are a plethora of attorneys who are able to help you file for bankruptcy. Do some research on attorneys that match up with what you need. Want to be able to meet in person? You can access our local attorney network for a free phone evaluation or you can Google an attorney near you. Want someone to help with a specific or unique issue you have? Find someone who has handled a similar case! There is no shame in shopping around for the attorney that best fits your situation.
Have you decided you may not be at the point where you need bankruptcy? Consider debt management. This can help you stay on top of your debt payments without many of the long-lasting impacts bankruptcy or settlements may have.
If you are far behind on payments, you may be able to reach a debt settlement with your creditors. Sometimes, if a debtor is far enough behind on payments, creditors are willing to accept a lower repayment so that they can recoup at least some of their money. Many companies can help you navigate this as well.
Debt Stoppers offers a convenient, heavily marketed approach to filing bankruptcy, but like any service, the experience can vary.
The biggest things to keep in mind:
$0 down doesn’t mean no cost
Reviews are mixed across platforms
Your outcome depends heavily on your situation
Before choosing any company, it’s worth understanding what your bankruptcy could actually look like.
Using a calculator to estimate costs, qualification, and payment structure can help you make a more informed decision.
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