Has anyone ever heard of or dealt with Rise Above Debt Relief?

That's a new one on me, perhaps someone else will be along with some input, keep checking back. :)

Make sure you check with the BBB on any company, especially debt settlement. Looks like they have only 1 complaint in 3 years, and it was resolved. I also saw in their media page that NBC news and Yieldingwealth.com gave them high marks, but do your own research before signing up for anything.

There seems to be good and bad out there, I guess like any industry. From my brief research, they seem to be one of the better debt settlement companies out there. I did verify with the BBB that Rise Above debt relief was an accredited member, so that's a good sign. But you don't know me from Adam, so check around.

Thanks for the opportunity to talk about our company. We have been successfully negotiating consumer debt for years, and now we are offering a limited number of franchises. If you go to XXXXXXXXXX you'll find more info there.

They only thing that worries me is that whatever the "debt forgiveness"is you have to claim that on you're income tax at the end of the year.Example if you owe say 3500 to discover and they settle on 1500 than you have to pay taxes on 2000 as income.

Yep.........even if you get 'positive' ratings/results, you STILL should check other sites ( Yahoo, Google..) and see what they say. ONE site may have something different than ANOTHER site. KSFLOWER....I never knew you had to do that..the 'tax thing', I mean. That's almost like a 'Catch 22'........you're trying to take care of your debts, and really excited when you can settle for less ( at first), however, you have to pay the 'remaining' back in taxes. Gosh!!

this is very true something that no one told me about debt settlement. I settled a particular account and about a year later i recieved a letter from the irs stating i owed them 600.00 because i did not claim it on my taxes. I was not aware that you must claim this. NOt that i regret my decision, my settlement amount plus what i ended up owing the irs was hardley even close to what was owed so it was worth it. but i had to make payment arrangements to pay it off. The irs will allow you to make payments but they charge interest so its best to pay in one lump sum but if you cant you will be able to set up payment arrangements

Fortunately, the IRS has a form 982 that you can fill out to have the 1099 dismissed as it shows you are insolvent, meaning you owe more than your assets are worth. Most of the time this is the case, so you really don't have to pay taxes on the saved amount. Check with your accountant...and even if you end up paying taxes on the saved amount, you are most likely in a lower tax bracket...like 15% or so.

google or search BBB for this.

Careful what you read and keep looking for a good company, I had a bad experience talking to these so called consultants who also told me that they are paid commissions to sell me whether it is right or wrong for me. Instead I am doing credit counseling.

i wish i new about that 982 form! oh well i didnt pay them that much and it was still alot lower than if i paid my creditor the full amount.

another place to check out besides the bbb, is the tasc. see if they are members because tasc makes them follow certain guidelines.

Thanks Not My Things. OK, so this Rise Above Debt Relief company is not a member of the BBB or of the TASC. Sounds like another fly by night.

Seriously, why work with someone who is this shady?

personally i would not use this company based on the info here its enough to make me uneasy. yet i see in other posts of other companies were people are screaming that they have been scammed by company XXX but people seem to still want to use them or question about them(which tells me they are still considering them)

i dont get it either. Be sure before signing on with a company , if you join the wrong company, you will make your situation alot worse.

Check out the February 16th edition of Forbes magazine as Goldline Research has chosen Rise Above Debt Relief as a top Debt and Credit company in America. They are an independent research company who publishes their research findings in Forbes on a monthly basis. Rise Above Debt Relief chooses to be a member of USOBA which is better than TASC, and complies to all of their client satisfaction standards. And with a flawless record on the BBB for more than 5 years, they are a company you can trust.

Please verify the points mentioned in the following page before selecting a debt settlement company: -

Best Debt Settlement Companies - How to choose the best out of the lot?

Rise Above Debt Services Suck. . . . I sign on after checking with the Better Business Burea - after one Month i canceled my service with them because the phone calls were overwhelming. that was back in dec 08 - I am still waiting to be refunded the money they took - my calls and emails are ignored. I have filed a complaint with the BBB who now states they have a "D" rating I am also in the process of filing a complaint with the Attorney Generals Office. I would not recommend this company to a Dog.
Credit Counseling Services are not regulated by a governmental agency (yet) - BBB info is inconsistant - the best thing to do is to make sure the agency/business or company is afflliated with The National Foundation of Credit Services.

Rise above Debt Relief had an A+ rating with the BBB until February 2009 and we were also accredited members. We didn't have to do anything to become accredited except pay $1000, for what that is worth. In February 2009, the BBB council decided to downgrade ALL debt negotiation companies because of concerns with the industry. We still only have 1 resolved complaint in the last 3 years, nothing changed except the rating. There is a class action lawsuit being filed against the BBB by many debt settlement companies as they are hurting you, the consumer by lumping all debt settlement companies in the low ratings.

Debt Negotiation is a fantastically successful method of eliminating debt quickly, but it is not for everyone, so you need a company that goes over a detailed budget, evaluates your situation, and can offer a custom program.

The problem with most debt settlement companies is that they try to enroll people who don't qualify, and of course that would cause issues and complaints. And you'll see from our record, that obviously is not an issue.

The BBB should be here to help a consumer differentiate the good companies from the bad, and with the new rating system, it makes it very difficult for you, the consumer, to do that. So now the BBB is not helping the consumer, and that is why there is a lawsuit trying to change that.

i work for a major credit card company in collections and ppl trust me when i say this, DO NOT GO W/ ANY DEBT SETTLEMENT COMPANIES. YOUR ACCOUNT CHARGES OFF AFTER 7 MONTHS OF DELINQUENCY, WE SUE YOU, AND THEY KEEP ALL YOUR MONEY! i've been working this job since feb 25, 2008 and all this time i havent seen 1 successful settlment done thru a settlement company. and there's no reason for me to lie to you, we dont want to have to sue you. work w/ your creditors, in this economy most are willing to settle for 15 cents on the dollar.....i am sick and tired of talking w/ ppl who say well im w/ this debt settlment company and all i can tell them is SEE YOU IN COURT....it gets old

Today, June 24th, 2009, we settled a Bank of America card with a balance of $40,000 for $10,000!! We settled an Amex card a couple weeks ago with a balance of $32,000 for $3200. These actual settlement letters are posted on our website. We settle millions of dollars worth of debt EVERY month. Our average settlement is 40% or .40 cents on the dollar. With the fees paid to the workers (and they must be paid, people don't work for free), a client usually gets free of their credit card debt for about .52-.58 cents on the dollar!!

We have a binder we put all settlement letters negotiated each month into, and let me tell you, it has become very large and heavy. There are settlement letters from every creditor/bank in America. Check out the website to view actual settlement letters and savings.

And, Rise Above Debt Relief is the only Debt Negotiation company to offer a $25,000 guarantee of savings.

So before you state false information about lawsuits, check your facts carefully. Only a small percentage of accounts ever go legal, and most are set up on a favorable payment plan or settlement. And if banks keep suing clients, it just forces them into Bankruptcy which now they get nothing, so it doesn't make financial sense for your company to sue everybody. Then you get nothing!!

Check out their shady business practices. kansas.com/news/story/889455.html

About that article against Rise Above Debt Relief you asked people to check out. It is not a clearly written article in the first place for anyone to see clearly what the lawsuit was about.
I am going with Rise Above Debt Relief because of the great BBB ratings (yes a D rating now, but that is not what RADR is about).
It is a superb company, mind you. There was only 2 complaints in 2-3 years, and they were solved. Put that up against the rest of the BAD debt settlement scamming companies out there.
I checked out 3 well known companies, and I withdrew 3 times before they took my first monthly pull too. I was not convinced that they were working for me or their commissions. With RADR
I absolutely feel secure now. I will keep everyone posted from here on out about my experience(s) with RADR for sure.......

Thanks for actually digging through the mud, the internet is a crazy thing as people can post whatever they want, write whatever they want without regards to facts, true or false.

We at Rise Above Debt Relief are very successful at what we do, because we deliver. Period. But you'll see a few negative posts and let me tell you, very few if any are from real, actual clients.

Most of these negative posts are from our competitors or ex-employess that we let go for not following our system of being 100% honest and upfront with people who call in and need help. We have such a solid staff of honest and ethical employees who REALLY care about helping people get out of debt, and we won't settle for anything less!!

And the frivolous lawsuit for $33,000,000 because they claim we didn't have the proper licensing is absurd and will be proven that Rise Above DID do business according to the State Regulations through an attorney office which is exempt from the licensing requirements. I mean, they even sued the bank where their money was, and the software company that details their balance and payments. Crazy.

If Rise Above Debt Relief was not a good company, we wouldn't have been a finalist for the 2009 Stevie Award presented by the American Business Awards for Best Customer Service Department of the Year, and selected as one of the top Debt Companies in America by Goldline Research for 2009.

So thanks again for doing your research and please update the forums with your progress. It won't always be an easy road, but you will be successful, and we put our money where our mouth is with the $25,000 guarantee.

This company is another fly by night. Operating in violation of Kansas law, many other states laws, and has zero graduates and treats their employees like dirt.

Ask them how many state licenses they have, what their graduation rate is and why they are operating in Kansas when it is illegal.

Here are some facts I found about Rise Above Debt Relief...

Rise Above has been in business since 2003, hmmm, sounds like a real fly by night, LOL.


Rise Above has a 100% success rate when clients follow their customized debt settlement plan and a $25,000 guarantee to back that up!!

Rise Above was named by Goldline Research as a 2009 Top Debt Settlement Company in America and posted their findings in Forbes Magazine.


Rise Above Debt was named a finalist for the Customer Service Department of the Year by the American Business Awards / Stevie Awards.

According to the BBB, Rise Above Debt has one of the best resolution records in the industry.

And finally, the frivolous suit in Kansas was dropped.

So keep posting your false info JH, IP stamps are a beautiful thing.

1. How many graduates does Rise Above Debt Relief have? And what percent of the clients that you enrolled is this (and answer this directly, no games anymore please);
2. The Kansas Attorney General confirmed that you are not licensed and that debt settlement is illegal in Kansas. Did you enroll clients in Kansas and please list what states you are licensed in (again, please no games).

Thanks fact checker.
ps. Rise Above Debt Relief has a D rating and is not a member of the BBB.

Debt settlement is not illegal in Kansas, obviously you are a moron and don't know what you are talking about. It must be done through an attorney or attorney network. Any debt settlement company doing business in Kansas must turn the client over to an attorney to be doing it correctly.

I agree with guest. The only kind of place that can provide debt settlement in Kansas is an attorney that is licensed to practice law in Kansas. Rise Above Debt Relief if not a law firm and thus if they are operating in the state of Kansas they need to be reported because they are breaking the law and I would bet the KS sate attorney general would love to know about this.

I did some research, Rise Above Debt did have the client placed with an Attorney licensed in that state. I guess that's why the suit was dismissed.

Please answer directly:
1. how many graduates does Rise Above have, and what is the graduation percentage. A friend of mine told me that he left because they don't graduate anyone;
2. please list the states that Rise Above is licensed in.

Thank you.

Oh yeah, I called the Kansas Attorney General's office to confirm your statement and they said that it is illegal to offer, or sell, unlicensed debt counseling, debt settlement or any related programs. They asked for someone from Rise Above to call them.
:?:

I work for a competing settlement company, and I can tell you that the reason the graduation rate is low for our business is because people don't follow their plans. If everyone would follow the plan, usually between 24-48 months. everyone would graduate. Period.

It's not the fault of the debt settlement companies, it's the clients who give up or lose income, etc. Just like losing weight, you can give someone a plan, but if they don't follow it for whatever reason, is it the fault of the plan?

Wake up people, don't blame your failures on everyone else, especially the ones who are trying to help.

Is anyone going to respond about graduation rates or if they are licensed in the states offered.

It makes sense that if people drop out because they don't stick to the plan than it can not be the companies faults, but what are the graduate rates?

Is anyone going to respond about graduation rates or if they are licensed in the states offered.

It makes sense that if people drop out because they don't stick to the plan than it can not be the companies faults, but what are the graduate rates?

Assume that they are a scam company with no one being successful, like the rest.

I read the posts, and it sure sounds like they are just a boiler room sales operation that does not even provide the services, they just sell it to unsuspecting consumers.

Stay away is my advice. At a minimum go with somebody that does the service themselves.

Can someone please get this info. I feel like I got mixed up.

Will someone do a Rise Above Debt Relief Review. They look like a scam and no one has responded.

BBB rating - D and 2 complaints in the last 36 months. also use the search option. you will find lots of info about them.

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Rise Above Debt Services Suck. . . . I sign on after checking with the Better Business Burea - after one Month i canceled my service with them because the phone calls were overwhelming. that was back in dec 08 - I am still waiting to be refunded the money they took - my calls and emails are ignored. I have filed a complaint with the BBB who now states they have a "D" rating I am also in the process of filing a complaint with the Attorney Generals Office. I would not recommend this company to a Dog.

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We went with Rise Above. I talked to a guy named Rob Campos. I told him I had a lot of debt but a credit scrore of 790 and never late on a payment. Our youngest son was diganosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy he is 5 and no cure. We have six kids. He said no problem we will set you up with a monthly plan of 760.00 and have this paid off in 5yrs. The creditors will call for a few months but just send us everything and we will take care of everything. I was scared but he was so nice and his uncle has a form of MD. I am sooo stupid. They never in 11 months did or pay anything. My bank accounts have been levied. Our sheriff served us papers. Oh and yes they have an urgent # and you have a lawyer because after Rise Above the hand turn over to CLA. Our lawyer Robyn Freedman did a lot of talking but did nothing. So I paid out almost $8000.00 to this company and they DID NOTHING but TAKE MY MONEY!!!! I terminated our contract and told this company I wanted my money back because they have in the contract what is called EARNED. They EARNED NOTHING. thy sent us a check for $1900.00. I want it ALL back. I could have paid off this card myself had I called and talked to them. This company is under investigation with NBC and ABC NY. We have gotten a lawyer and I want ALL my money back. DONT DO THIS IT IS A SCAM!!!!!!!!! If I can help one other person. I don't know how these people go home and go to sleep at night?? I would hate myself knowing I ruined peoples lives!! Dana

If a debt settlement company request upfront fees then they are not legit. Let them get you a settlement letter from the creditor or it's agent before you send them any fees. I used DS Financial and they didn't request any upfront fees and I settled about 75K of debt for around 19K. I would call 866-833-6398.

This guy was never a client of Rise Above Debt Relief. His state laws will only allow certain companies to take his case, so he signed a contract with Consumer Law Associates, not Rise Above. So the bad rap is not against us, it's CLA.

But, in January 2010, Rise Above formed a strategic alliance with the largest BK firm in the nation. Through the alliance, Rise Above is contracted by the law firm to service all clients in-house. And, we IMMEDIATELY contact all creditors with a letter from the attorney informing them to contact our office from this point forward. This has worked tremendously well and curbing the annoying collection calls, and we are getting great settlements from the first month into the program.

So we have been working tirelessly over the last few years trying to improve a client's debt settlement experience, and with our new service model, our clients are happier than ever.

Just today, we settled a Bank of America account of $24,322 for $4765! Saving the client almost $20,000 on their debt. This client is so excited and is putting extra money into her account so we can get the rest of the debt taken care of quickly. This settlement letter is on file at riseabovedebt.com or by calling our office.

If you are tired of getting the run around and getting side ways answers...
collectors being pushy, misleading, or causing you frustration...
visit www.debtmeout.com
Those guys got me the right attorney at no cost to me and about 3 weeks later the bill collector was fired, my account was back in the hands of Chase, and I got a check of $400 from the collection agency for my troubles...

I used the $400 and added another $233 to it to settle the debt... done deal...

RADR please answer, is it true the attorney general is looking into debt resolution companys that charge an upfront fee?