Asked straight. Answered straight.

Yes — expect it to. Settlement works by missing payments while you save, and missed payments are reported. Your score will likely drop, and the marks stay on your report for years. Anyone promising settlement that helps your credit is not telling the truth.

Yes. Nothing about enrolling stops calls, letters, collections, or lawsuits. A creditor can sue at any point, and a judgment can follow. If stopping contact is your main goal, settlement is the wrong tool.

No fee is charged or taken before a debt is settled under an agreement you signed and you have paid on it. The exact fee is disclosed in writing before you enroll. Your monthly deposits sit in your own insured account — yours to withdraw any time without penalty.

There is no fixed timeline — it depends on how much you owe, how fast you can save, and whether each creditor negotiates. Programs often run a couple of years. Anyone quoting you an exact month count as a promise is guessing.

No percentage is promised. Some creditors settle for meaningfully less; some refuse entirely. Results vary widely and many people do not finish. Fees and possible taxes on forgiven balances eat into savings — ask for the net math, not the headline.

Often, yes. The IRS generally treats forgiven balances as income, with exceptions (such as insolvency) a tax professional must evaluate for you. We are not tax advisors — budget for this question, don't ignore it.

Secured debts (mortgage, auto), federal student loans, tax debt, court fines, and child support. Some private debts depend on the creditor — ask on the call and expect a straight answer.

If you can afford minimums and your priority is protecting your credit, stay the course. If you need a guaranteed outcome, a fixed timeline, or an end to collector contact — no honest program can promise those.