Pacific Debt
Pacific Debt Relief is a privately held San Diego-based debt settlement company founded in 2002 that negotiates reductions in unsecured consumer debt (credit cards, personal loans, medical bills) for over-indebted U.S. individuals across 32 states, charging performance-based fees of 15-25% on settled amounts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersSan Diego, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Pacific Debt does
Pacific Debt Relief is a privately held consumer debt settlement company founded in 2002 and headquartered in San Diego, California. The company serves over-indebted U.S. consumers carrying $10,000 or more in unsecured debt (credit cards, personal loans, medical bills, collections, and similar obligations) who are seeking an alternative to bankruptcy. Its core offering is a structured 3-step debt settlement program in which IAPDA-certified debt arbitrators negotiate directly with creditors to reduce enrolled balances, typically by 28-50%, with program durations of 24-48 months.
The company operates a digital-first, direct-to-consumer distribution model anchored by a website (pacificdebt.com), a self-serve enrollment portal (start.pacificdebt.com), and an inbound call center. Supporting products include a Credit Card Interest Rate Calculator and a Financial Learning Center with educational content on personal finance topics. There are no proprietary AI systems or automation platforms disclosed; the technology stack is operational (client portal, FDIC-insured Special Purpose account management) rather than differentiated.
Pacific Debt Relief generates revenue primarily through performance-based settlement fees ranging from 15% to 25% of enrolled debt, with no upfront charges. Clients deposit a single monthly payment into an FDIC-insured Special Purpose savings account, which funds creditor settlements and the company's fees upon successful resolution of each account. The company operates in 32 U.S. states (excluding Oregon, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and West Virginia), holds BBB A+ accreditation and CDRI/IAPDA memberships, and has cumulatively settled over $500 million in consumer debt since inception. The company is founder-led, with Kevin Landie as Founder/Chairman and Sierra Izzard (joined 2003) as CEO.
Pacific Debt firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pacific Debt
- Legal name
- Pacific Debt, Inc.
- Website
- https://pacificdebt.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Pacific Debt Relief is a privately held San Diego-based debt settlement company founded in 2002 that negotiates reductions in unsecured consumer debt (credit cards, personal loans, medical bills) for over-indebted U.S. individuals across 32 states, charging performance-based fees of 15-25% on settled amounts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pacific Debt industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Consumer Debt Settlement Services
- NAICS
- Activities Related to Credit Intermediation (5223)
- SIC
- Services-Consumer Credit Reporting, Collection Agencies (7320)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Debt Settlement / Negotiation Programs (Non-loan) (FSAKAIAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Debt Settlement & Negotiation Services (FSAEAFAC), Collections & Creditor Negotiation Support (Debtor-Side) (FSAEAFAI)
Keywords
Where Pacific Debt is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Diego
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Pacific Debt business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Debt Settlement Fees: Pacific Debt Relief charges performance-based fees ranging from 15% to 25% of the enrolled debt amount. No upfront fees are charged — the company is only compensated when debts are successfully settled. This aligns the company's financial incentive with successful client outcomes. The website notes that clients who complete the program pay approximately 50% of their enrolled balance before fees, or 65% to 85% including fees, over 24 to 48 months.
- Monthly Program Management Fees: Clients make a single low monthly payment into an FDIC-insured Special Purpose savings account. This deposit funds both creditor settlements and the company's program fee upon successful settlement of each account. The monthly payment is tailored to the client's budget.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Performance-based debt settlement fee: 15–25% of enrolled debt amount |
| Subscription | Monthly | Budget-based monthly program payment into FDIC-insured Special Purpose account |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Pacific Debt product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pacific Debt Relief negotiates with consumers' creditors to settle unsecured debts (credit cards, personal loans, medical bills, lines of credit, store cards, collections, repossessions, and business debts) for less than the full amount owed. Clients enroll in a 3-step program—free consultation with a Certified Debt Specialist, customized monthly deposit into an FDIC-insured Special Purpose account, and direct creditor negotiation—typically becoming debt-free in 24-48 months. The company charges performance-based fees of 15-25% of enrolled debt, payable only upon successful settlement, with no upfront charges.
Product overview
Pacific Debt Relief operates as a nationwide debt settlement company offering a unified debt relief platform. The core product is their Debt Settlement Program, which follows a 3-Step process to negotiate and reduce consumer unsecured debt. Supporting the main service, they provide a Credit Card Interest Rate Calculator tool and an Educational Resources / Financial Learning Center covering personal finance topics. Customer testimonials and reviews are aggregated on their reviews page. The company does not offer a modular or add-on product architecture; all services center on the debt settlement program with complementary free tools and educational content.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Debt Settlement Program A nationwide, non-loan-based debt settlement program that negotiates directly with consumers' creditors to reduce unsecured debt balances by up to 50%. The 3-step program follows free consultation, personalized savings plan with monthly deposits into an FDIC-insured Special Purpose account, and account-by-account settlement via certified debt arbitrators. Target users are over-indebted U.S. consumers with $10,000+ in unsecured debt (credit cards, personal loans, medical bills, lines of credit, store cards, collections, repossessions, business debts) seeking an alternative to bankruptcy.
- Credit Card Interest Rate Calculator A free online calculator tool that helps consumers estimate interest accrued on credit card balances based on APR, principal, and monthly payment, and calculates months to payoff, total interest paid, and total payment under different payment scenarios. Used as an awareness/consideration tool for prospective debt settlement clients.
- Educational Resources / Financial Learning Center A comprehensive free financial education platform offering articles and resources on personal finance, budgeting, credit score improvement, credit card debt management, debt relief options, bankruptcy, mortgages and loans, and tax filing basics. Used to drive organic SEO traffic and educate consumers evaluating debt relief options.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduce credit card debt by up to 50%
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Pacific Debt
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Pacific Debt technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Pacific Debt partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA)coreIAPDA provides training and certification for Pacific Debt's professional debt arbitrators, ensuring all certified debt specialists are trained to deliver best-in-class service. IAPDA certification is a key credential highlighted by Pacific Debt as a trust signal for prospective clients.
- Consumer Debt Relief Initiative (CDRI)coreCDRI is a trade association that sets industry standards for debt settlement companies and provides accreditation. Pacific Debt is an accredited member, which the company prominently displays as a trust and legitimacy signal to consumers.
- Better Business Bureau (BBB)coreThe BBB provides independent business accreditation and rating services. Pacific Debt holds an A+ BBB rating and full accreditation, which is a primary trust signal across the company's website, marketing materials, and sales conversations.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Pacific Debt competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- National Debt Relief: Largest U.S. consumer debt settlement company, offering a near-identical service: creditor negotiation in exchange for a performance-based fee. Directly competes with Pacific Debt on the same $10K+ unsecured-debt target customer across overlapping state footprints.
- Freedom Debt Relief: Operated by Bills.com / Mortgage Investors Corp, Freedom Debt Relief is one of the top-three U.S. debt settlement firms. Uses the same inside-sales, performance-fee model and the same target client (over-indebted consumers with $10K+ in unsecured balances).
- Accredited Debt Relief: A direct competitor in the debt settlement category, accredited by the AFCC and BBB, that negotiates unsecured debts for a percentage-based fee using a similar inside-sales and digital acquisition motion.
- CuraDebt: National debt settlement and debt negotiation firm targeting the same over-$10K unsecured-debt consumer with a performance-fee structure and similar digital/phone GTM. Headquartered in Florida and active in many of the same states as Pacific Debt.
- New Era Debt Solutions: Smaller but direct debt settlement peer offering creditor negotiation on unsecured consumer debt with a comparable fee model and inside-sales acquisition motion. Competes for the same distressed-consumer segment.
- DMB Financial: Debt settlement and debt management firm offering negotiation services for unsecured consumer debt, comparable in scale and target customer to Pacific Debt.
Broad incumbents
- GreenPath Financial Wellness: Non-profit credit counseling and debt management plan (DMP) provider; competes for the same financially distressed consumer with a non-settlement, fee-compressed alternative that Pacific Debt explicitly positions against.
- Money Management International (MMI): Established national credit counseling agency offering debt management plans, housing counseling, and financial education — directly addresses the same consumer need as debt settlement but through a non-profit, DMP-first model.
- SoFi: Large direct-to-consumer lender offering personal loans, balance transfer products, and refinancing — the primary substitute product for consumers weighing settlement vs. consolidation. Material indirect competitive pressure on Pacific Debt's funnel.
Emerging players
- JG Wentworth: While historically known for structured settlement payments, JG Wentworth has expanded into debt resolution services for consumers. Comparable category overlap and target customer base make it an emerging adjacent competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Pacific Debt social profiles
Digital presencePacific Debt compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Pacific Debt financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pacific Debt leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Pacific Debt funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pacific Debt M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pacific Debt
What does Pacific Debt do?
Pacific Debt Relief negotiates with consumers' creditors to settle unsecured debts (credit cards, personal loans, medical bills, lines of credit, store cards, collections, repossessions, and business debts) for less than the full amount owed. Clients enroll in a 3-step program—free consultation with a Certified Debt Specialist, customized monthly deposit into an FDIC-insured Special Purpose account, and direct creditor negotiation—typically becoming debt-free in 24-48 months. The company charges performance-based fees of 15-25% of enrolled debt, payable only upon successful settlement, with no upfront charges.
Is Pacific Debt a public or private company?
Pacific Debt is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Pacific Debt founded?
Pacific Debt was founded in 2002. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Pacific Debt based?
Pacific Debt is headquartered in San Diego, United States, in the North America region.
How does Pacific Debt make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Debt Settlement Fees are the primary driver. The others are monthly Program Management Fees.
Who are Pacific Debt's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are National Debt Relief, Freedom Debt Relief, Accredited Debt Relief, CuraDebt, New Era Debt Solutions and DMB Financial. Broad incumbents are GreenPath Financial Wellness, Money Management International (MMI) and SoFi. JG Wentworth is listed as an emerging player.
Does Pacific Debt have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pacific Debt.
What industry is Pacific Debt in?
Pacific Debt's product category is Consumer Debt Settlement Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAKAIAK, Debt Settlement / Negotiation Programs (Non-loan), with a secondary code of FSAEAFAC, Debt Settlement & Negotiation Services. Its NAICS code is 5223 and its SIC code is 7320.