Americans have more than $4 trillion in total consumer debt, not including mortgages, according to the Federal Reserve. If you have more debt than you can handle and no way to pay it in full, there are options.

Debt settlement offers a way to eliminate your debt by paying a fraction of what you owe. It’s not an ideal solution, but it’s available for consumers who have exhausted all other alternatives and want to avoid bankruptcy.

“Debt settlement is an option for consumers who can’t afford their current debt payments, and either can’t or won’t file for bankruptcy,” says Gerri Detweiler, credit expert and co-author of “Debt Collection Answers: How to Use Debt Collection Laws to Protect Your Rights.”

Debt settlement has significant risks and drawbacks. It should only be used as an option after you’ve thoroughly researched the process and considered whether the benefits outweigh the risks for your situation.

This guide offers information to help you decide whether debt settlement is a good choice for you. It allows you to explore alternatives and evaluate different debt settlement companies, and it has tips for avoiding problematic debt settlement practices.

U.S. News researched the leading debt settlement companies accredited by the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators or the American Fair Credit Council. Each company was evaluated based on key factors, including program time frame, types of debt settled, minimum debt requirements, fees and customer satisfaction.

There is no debt settlement company that is perfect for everyone, so recommendations are based on the top performers with strengths in key areas. These recommendations are meant to aid in your research by showing you the company most likely to meet your needs. While these recommendations offer a starting point, you should thoroughly research each company to determine whether it’s a good fit.

U.S. News evaluated 30 of the top debt settlement companies using 11 important measures, including service offerings, fees, accreditation, transparency and customer satisfaction. Recommendations are based on the companies that performed the best in those measures.

When you settle a debt, your creditor agrees to accept less than what you owe to resolve it. Debt settlement typically becomes an option long after you’ve defaulted on your credit card debts. If you’ve continued to pay your bills, creditors are not likely to be interested in settling your debt. However, if they believe that they’re in danger of not receiving any repayment, they may be willing to reduce the amount you owe and settle for less.

For-profit companies typically offer debt settlement programs. When you enroll, you will be advised to stop paying all your credit card bills and instead place the money in a dedicated account, where the funds will accumulate. When the balance is large enough, the debt settlement company will begin to negotiate with the credit card issuer to accept these funds as a settlement. This process can be effective yet problematic.

“Unfortunately, you can’t have it both ways: You can’t settle debts for less than what you owe and avoid damage to your credit,” Detweiler advises. “You have to decide what’s most important to your financial health: protecting your credit or getting out of debt. In many cases, getting out of debt is the more important goal in the short term.”

However, stopping payments on your credit cards may not be a wise strategy. John Ulzheimer, a credit expert who formerly worked with FICO and Equifax, says, “It’s never a good idea to skip your payments – ever. I recognize this is a common strategy suggested by the debt settlement companies, but this can lead to negative credit reporting and collection lawsuits.”

There are few advantages and many disadvantages to debt settlement.

Debt settlement companies either charge a percentage of your total debt or the debt settled.

If they charge based on settled debt, you pay a percentage of the debt that was eliminated. Most debt settlement companies charge a 15% to 25% fee on the reduced debt amount. For example, if your company eliminates $10,000 of your debt and charges a 25% fee, you’ll pay $2,500.

Some debt settlement companies require customers to set aside money in a dedicated account for payment to creditors. This account is managed by a third party and will typically require fees.

In addition to the fees you’ll pay to your debt settlement company, you will also have to pay taxes on your settled debt. This can minimize the savings of a settlement offer.

Debt settlement typically has a negative effect on your credit history, both during the settlement process and once the debt is settled.

The three major credit bureaus – Equifax, Experian and TransUnion – calculate your FICO score from credit data in multiple categories with different weights of importance:

Payment history and amounts owed account for 65% of your credit score. If your debt settlement agreement requires you to stop making payments to creditors, both payment history and amounts owed will be negatively affected.

When you pay off the full balance of an account, it will be reported to the credit bureau as paid in full. This is not the case with debt settlement.

“Settlements are considered to be major [derogatories] in both FICO and VantageScore’s scoring systems,” Ulzheimer says. “As such, they can certainly result in lower scores.”

When you settle for less than the full amount, the account will be reported as settled and indicate that you did not pay the full amount. Accounts settled for less than the full amount reflect negatively on your credit history. Settled accounts can remain on your credit report for up to seven years from the original delinquency date or the date reported as settled if the account was not in collections.

“Settled debts are not removed simply because they’ve been settled,” Ulzheimer says.

When choosing a debt settlement company, focus on five key areas:

Some debt settlement companies may not be able to settle the type or amount of debt you have. When considering a company’s requirements, look for:

Some debt settlement companies will only deal with certain types of unsecured debt, such as credit card debt. Many do not offer services for student debt, and if they do, it is only for private student loans, not federal student loans. Make sure the debt settlement firm you choose deals with the type of debt you’re concerned about.

Companies typically have minimum amounts of debt that they will negotiate, and some have minimum amounts required per account.

For example, a company may require that you have at least $7,500 in debt, with a minimum debt of $500 per account. In that case, if you have $10,000 in debt on credit card A and $300 on credit card B, the company would only negotiate credit card A, even though your total debt of $10,300 exceeds its minimum requirement.

Look for a company that charges the lowest fee percentage. However, keep in mind that some companies charge a percentage on your total debt, while others charge based on the total debt reduced.

Debt settlement companies should be accredited. Verify that a company is accredited by the American Fair Credit Council or the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators. These organizations require members to meet certain standards of practice and operational compliance designed to ensure protection for consumers.

Unscrupulous debt settlement companies may make big promises, such as suggesting that debt settlement won’t hurt your credit score, or that they can keep debt collectors from calling you or lenders from suing you. The reality is debt settlement can’t protect you from credit score damage, debt collectors or lawsuits, and a good debt settlement company will be transparent about these facts. It’s a good idea to check each debt settlement company’s website for disclosures on the effects of debt settlement on your credit score.

Customer experiences can tell you a lot about what you can expect from a debt settlement company. Research online reviews with Trustpilot, which rates companies based on aggregate customer reviews, and the Better Business Bureau.

There are no guarantees when it comes to debt settlement. Be wary of any company that promises otherwise. The Federal Trade Commission recommends avoiding companies that:

“Be very leery about debt settlement companies that make settlement seem like a sure thing or that charge high upfront fees,” Detweiler says. “There’s no guarantee that every one of your creditors will settle, and a settlement company should be realistic about your prospects based on your individual creditors.”

Because of its significant risks and drawbacks, debt settlement is not a good option for all consumers. Alternatives such as debt management, debt consolidation and direct negotiation may be better choices for some.

Ulzheimer encourages consumers with debt to work out a debt management program with a nonprofit financial counselor. With a debt management program, a certified credit counselor will help you create a plan for paying off your debt using a realistic budget. Debt management programs typically involve a setup fee and a small monthly fee, one-on-one help from a credit counselor, and a plan to repay your debt within three to five years.

This type of program does not have many of the drawbacks of debt settlement, as you will continue to make payments and pay your accounts in full. The effect to your credit history is far less severe, as you’ll be paying your debts as agreed. The counselor may work with your creditors to reduce your interest rates, which can help you reduce the amount paid on your debt without a settlement.

Debt management plans are often a better choice than debt settlement for consumers facing overwhelming debt. It’s a good idea to try a debt management plan before resorting to debt settlement, unless the monthly payment is truly unaffordable.

With debt consolidation, you can take out a loan to combine multiple debts into a single payment, ideally with lower interest. This can be a more manageable option than trying to pay off multiple high-interest accounts.

Debt consolidation is typically a more responsible solution for reducing debt than debt settlement. If you consolidate debt and complete payments with a debt consolidation loan, your accounts will be reflected as paid in full. This is better for your credit rating than settling accounts. However, unlike debt settlement, debt consolidation requires that you pay the full amount of your debt over time.

You don’t have to work with a debt settlement company to negotiate settlement agreements. You can talk to lenders directly to explain your situation and ask to settle your account for less than the full amount.

“There’s nothing a debt settlement company can do for you that you can’t do for yourself,” Ulzheimer says. “If you’re having a hard time making your payments, then talk to your lender. They’d rather work with you than with a third-party settlement company.”