1. everything went well - I enjoy working with alieviate financial services…read more The answered all my questions. They were thorough I can't wait to call him againl

This company is an ILLUSION AND ARE THIEVES! DO NOT WORK WITH THIS COMPANY UNLESS YOU WANNA BE…read moreDEEPER IN THE HOLE WITH YOUR DEBT AND BE WORSE OFF THAN BEFORE. This company is the worst company I have ever worked with. When you sign on with the sales people at Lendvia, it all sounds amazing on paper but as you go deeper into the program, you begin to realize there is a sinister and corrupt system running at Alleviate. I paid every single payment with them for a year and a half on time twice a month. Yes, did they make settlements, sure, but when I sent over 11k to graduate early, I began to witness the games they play with their customers in order to maximize their profit as they are a business but they aren't here to help the creditors or you...just themselves and IF they can, they may help you but you'll end up doing their job because they no incentive to graduate you early even when you have more than enough money in your alleviate account because if you graduate early, they don't make as much money. After my large amount of money was sitting in my account for three months and I didn't see any movement on my settlements, I canceled my debt program. Mind you, I called the creditor they sat on for three months and the creditor was super super helpful in resolving my two last debts that alleviate couldn't accomplish in three months. When you call Alleviate, you get dragged around in circles and zero accountability while talking to people who sound like idiots and robots and have no clue what they are talking about and read scripted responses based on what you say. If you are with them, make sure everything is in writing otherwise n they will play games with you even more. I can guarantee some idiot at Alleviate will respond to my review but DO NOT Fall for their lies and evil sales tactics. They DO NOT care for you and THEY ARE NOT here for you. This company is in multiple lawsuits for violating laws -- google it and you will see. I'm lucky I had the ability to get out of my agreement with them and leave this all behind me without legal trouble due the me hustling my ass off to reclaim my life but many become farther in their debts to the point of serious legal troubles/bankruptcy. They claim they are saving you money but if you look at how much they take out in fees, you are better off making agreements with the creditors yourselves and not getting yourself in a worse position. F U ALLEVIATE YOU ARCHONTIC, DEMONIC THIEVES. May all energy you steal from people be returned back to the people and you face your universal crimes.

shady sales tactics. they say you will pay less but in fact you pay because of the fees which are…read morealso predatory. DO NOT go through them.

Customer service is unable to provide any information r/t iur contract and what is being offered to…read morecreditors. I am requesting a telephone call not from customer service, but from managment as they have never been able to assist each month my husband calls for an update so that we can recieve the answers we have been asking for over 8 months.

They were amazing throughout the process always very clear and truthful about everything that was…read moregoing on program lasted the amount of time they said since the beginning and am very happy to have choose them to resolve my debt issues thank you first choice you guys are great

Lets be honest, no one wants to be here writing a review for a debt relief company, right? But, I…read morewill be honest, I got myself into some big trouble with debt, unfortunately. I started to panic, and I did some research here on Yelp, and I landed myself in the lap of First Choice. I contacted them, and got to work on trying to figure out what to do with my situation. I wanted to avoid bankruptcy for multiple reasons, however I didnt know how I was going to make a huge payment every month to get myself out of debt. The number given to me for a monthly payment knocked the wind out of me. I had a HUGE amount of debt. I couldnt even make all of my monthly payments, what I was paying on my cards, was just being put right back on in finance charges. It was so overwhelming. I decided I had no other choice, and I went and got a second job, and eventually cancelled items like my Disneyland pass, and other items to be able to make one payment to First Choice. It hasnt been easy, but they were extremely easy to work with. They negotiated with my creditors, and as part of their program and your payment to them, you also have legal representation for advice and other items. I will leave a separate review for Veritas Legal however they were amazing to work with as well, including having me keep track of phone calls from creditors, and calling them to tell them to stop calling me, and tracking when they dont, and going after them if they violate the law and continue to call, resulting in some debt possibly being forgiven. I was offered a loan through a partner of First Choice, that I accepted. This resulted in all of my debt being settled and paid off, and I now am paying back the loan, at a slightly lower monthly payment as when I originally signed up. I have probably 3 1/2 more years to pay all of this off, but I am so grateful to have worked with them to get my life back in order. They were so very helpful from the very beginning through the very end of the loan company taking over. The only thing that caught me off guard was receiving 1099-C forms. I was not expecting this, and had to amend my tax return and am still waiting to see if I will owe money on these. That can take up to 6 months... and it sounds like if the IRS forgives the money owed, you will just not get a response from them. Very stressful and once 2020 is over, I will be happy to know where I stand on that matter. I recommend this company, just know there is a LOT of work that goes into taking care of debt, and you will have to put a lot into it, but this is the place to do it with. They will guide you every step and answer all of your questions. Good luck!!!

I was drowning in debt and Pacific Associates saved me. I am so thankful to the company…read more I was young, was never educated about credit and loans and found myself in about $30,000 of credit card debt and loans. I was working, but definitely not enough to keep up with all the payments and interests that accrued, it seemed like I would never get out of debt. Then I found pacific associates, read a lot of reviews about them because of course I was skeptical. I contacted them and Roger and Shain answered every question I had. I signed up for the program and Roger was very good and prompt at answering my emails with any concerns I had. They really work with you to make sure you get out of debt. This month was my last payment and I can proudly say I am debt free and feels AMAZING!! Thank you guys so much for helping me. I would definitely recommend Pacific Associates to anyone trying to get out of debt.

After a very difficult time in my life, I was bogged down with debit and saw no light in sight. The…read moreteam at Pacific painlessly guided me to the end of the tunnel. Roger and Shain were extremely responsive and easy to work with. A+ in professionalism and the overall experience. With their help I'm back on track and able to save money again. I couldn't be more than thankful!

Great service, handling all items that they said they would. Will use again in the future if we…read moreneed it!

They are the best of the best!!! They are knowledgeable…read moregreat customer service and they go above and beyond. Sandra helped me increase my credit score almost 200pts!!!!! Thank you to this team!!! Highly recommend

It was good to be able to understand the person who called me. He explained the process better than…read morethe other people that I have spoken to. Mark Sanchez listened to me and answered my questions.

My review for Payton Burt, I highly recommend this business because they are very knowledgeable on…read morewhat they do about explaining taxes for their clients. They are there to accist and explain to you on how we are to deal with hard situations about your taxes. I understand things I never understood before about my situation. I can finally sleep at night knowing that my situation is being taken care of thanks to Payton Burt!

Sam was so pleasant to work with and did an amazing job saving us 50% on an old debt. Highly…read morerecommend.

Not going to lie, I was a bit frustrated and going through some personal stuff,but they handled my…read moreissue better than I originally thought. I do owe an apology for coming off a bit odd, but Sam has patience for my frustration, and was able to cut me sweat deal. Worth every dollar. Hopefully wont need them anymore, but if I do, we will be in touch

I want to give my utmost gratitude to Victor and especially Andy at Financial Relief Law Center for…read moresuch an incredible experience during what felt like one of the lowest points in my life. What seemed like the end for me turned into a fresh start because of their guidance and expertise. After speaking with several firms over the course of a couple of months, I was referred to Financial Relief Law Center due to the complexity of my case. From my very first conversation with Victor, I immediately knew I was in the right hands. He was professional, understanding, and--most importantly--never once made me feel judged. His reassurance alone gave me the confidence to move forward. Once I retained them, I began working closely with Andy, who guided me every step of the way. Prior to this, I had received misinformation from other attorneys, and that stress led me to make a decision on my own without first consulting him. Despite that, Andy's expertise and dedication were able to pull me out of what felt like an endless hole. Through numerous hearings, Andy fought for my rights and remained committed to my case. In the end, he proved victorious with the final ruling, and I couldn't be more grateful. If you're looking for a team that truly cares, knows what they're doing, and will stand by you through a difficult time, I highly recommend Financial Relief Law Center. Victor and Andy gave me not just legal support, but peace of mind and a second chance.

A Successful Outcome Doesn't Excuse a Poor Client Experience…read more My husband and I retained Financial Relief Law Center to help us through a Chapter 7 bankruptcy during one of the most difficult periods of our lives. While we ultimately received our discharge, the overall experience left us feeling frustrated, unheard, and unsupported. One of the biggest issues throughout our case was inconsistent communication. Over the course of many months, we received conflicting guidance regarding our eligibility for Chapter 7, particularly concerning whether my disability income needed to be included. Each time we believed we understood the next step, we were given different information, resulting in repeated delays while our financial situation continued to deteriorate. As our circumstances became more urgent, I reached out to our original attorney, Amanda, with a thoughtful email explaining our concerns. I wasn't angry or looking to place blame. I simply expressed that we felt like "just another file," explained that we had received inconsistent guidance, and asked for better communication and engagement with our case. I never received a response. Instead, our file was transferred to another attorney without any explanation or conversation. To me, that was one of the most disappointing moments of the entire experience. When a client takes the time to respectfully express concerns, I believe those concerns deserve acknowledgment. Even if there had been disagreement, a simple conversation would have demonstrated professionalism and respect. Instead, it felt as though our concerns were avoided rather than addressed. After the transfer, Rich became our attorney. Looking back, I recognize that he inherited a case that already had significant communication challenges. While I don't believe he was responsible for how the case began, the communication issues unfortunately continued. We often had to follow up for responses, and we frequently felt uncertain about the status of our case and the advice we were receiving. One issue that continues to stand out is that we were never given the opportunity to discuss whether delaying our bankruptcy filing until after completing our tax return was an available option. I'm not suggesting that delaying would necessarily have been the right decision, nor do I expect anyone to have predicted the amount of our eventual tax refund. Rather, I believe clients deserve to understand the available options, along with the risks and benefits of each, so they can make informed decisions. That conversation never happened, and it ultimately left us feeling that we had lost the opportunity to consider an approach that may have preserved a significant amount of money. To Rich's credit, after my bankruptcy was completed and despite no longer representing me, he took the time to answer several post-bankruptcy questions and acknowledged that communication during my case could have been better. I appreciated his willingness to respond and his professionalism in doing so. My purpose in writing this review isn't to question the firm's legal knowledge or the fact that we ultimately received a bankruptcy discharge. It is to share the client experience we had. Bankruptcy is an incredibly stressful process, and clients need more than legal documents filed correctly--they need timely communication, consistency, transparency, and the confidence that someone is truly listening when concerns are raised. Financial Relief Law Center has many positive reviews, which suggests that many clients have had good experiences. That's something to be proud of. At the same time, I believe the greatest opportunity for growth comes from listening to the clients whose experiences were less positive. Constructive criticism isn't meant to diminish the good work that's been done--it provides an opportunity to improve. I hope my experience, along with the experiences of others who have shared similar concerns, encourages the firm to place greater emphasis on communication, consistency, empathy, and accountability. Those changes would make an enormous difference for future clients navigating one of the most stressful times in their lives. If sharing my experience leads to even one future client feeling more heard, better informed, and better supported, then writing this review will have been worthwhile.

I can't thank Kevin and his team enough for helping me through everything. I was honestly pretty…read morestressed about the whole process, but they made it way easier than I expected. From the first time I got in touch with them, I could tell Kevin really knew what he was doing. Him and his team made the whole process feel simple, stayed on top of everything, and always got back to me quickly whenever I had questions. They never talked down to me or threw a bunch of confusing legal terms at me. They just told me exactly what I needed to do and guided me through everything step by step. By the time my court meeting over Zoom came around, I felt completely prepared and it was over way faster and smoother than I expected. I highly recommend Kevin and his team at 1st California Law. They're knowledgeable, professional, responsive, and they genuinely care about helping people get a fresh start.

Great communicators and very efficient and informed. Use these guys for great serviceread more

When I lost my employment, I signed up because I knew I would not be able to make my payments. I…read morethought it was the responsible thing to do. My payments are every 2 weeks - 26 payments in a year. For 3 months of the year, there would be 3 payments instead of 2. I could do it until I needed to go on disability in September. I called and asked if I could make just one payment each month. I gave them the amounts and did the basic math. Example: payments of $200 every two weeks would be $200 X 26 (weeks) = $5,200. Divide by 12 would be $433.33 each month. They said they would get back to me within 5-7 business days. When I was not called back, I called. Just before all this started, they had called and asked if I could increase my payments because of a settlement offer I would need to pay an extra $35. I had said no. When I called back, they wanted me to pay a little under $40 extra. I said no. No calls, no emails, no nothing. I sent messages, called, said I would be suspending payments. Still nothing. I called my bank and suspended the payments, well in advance. The day the payment was to come out, I got a call and an email. Too late. The excuse I kept getting was, "We don't pay by the year". No duh. Not one of the employees could do basic math.

In Nov. 2023, I enrolled in Guardian's debt settlement program. I was not informed that attorney…read morefees would be deducted from settlements, which I consider the first misrepresentation. The most serious issue involved my Wells Fargo account. In July 2025, Wells Fargo withdrew about $2,200 from my savings after obtaining a judgment on a debt I believed Guardian was handling. I later learned my case was neglected after an attorney left. From Dec. 2024 to July 2025, no one followed up regarding settlement efforts or a lawsuit 2nd misrepresentation. The case went to court in June 2025 without representation, despite my understanding that Guardian's legal team would handle it. As a result, the judge ruled for Wells Fargo, adding about $1,000 in legal fees to my nearly $10,000 balance. Wells Fargo was then able to seize funds from my account, and my wages were nearly garnished before I settled the debt myself. When I requested accountability, Guardian offered only $320 and stated they would not charge fees on my remaining Capital One accounts. However, I later discovered they had already charged me $356 for a Capital One settlement, despite previously stating fees would not be collected until final payment, 3rd misrepresentation. Guardian also claimed they only agreed to waive fees on the Wells Fargo account and one Capital One account, even though they never settled the Wells Fargo debt, I did that on my own. I canceled the program and requested a refund. Since Aug. 2025, I have repeatedly been told I would receive the promised $320 refund, but I am still waiting. Last time I tried talking to someone they tried to talk circles around me thinking I was a fool to believe anything they said. They said they weren't able to resolve my debt which is why it went to court instead of acknowledge what one of their lawyers already confirmed that my case fell through the cracks because the lawyer originally assigned to my case quit. Don't believe them for anything, they look for desperate people to fall for their schemes.