About the IAPDA

The IAPDA is North America’s leading debt settlement training and certification program. In business since 2000, we’ve become the gold standard for debt settlement and debt arbitration professional. To be trained and certified by the IAPDA tells everyone that you are a professional debt specialist, ready to help consumers who need it.
We’re also unique because we focus on individuals. We help entrepreneurs become trained and certified so they can start their own work-at-home business, and we also train individuals who work for (or want to work for) debt settlement companies. Plus, membership and future education are free – to be recognized by the IAPDA is to be recognized as a professional debt settlement specialist for life.

The closest analogy we can use is that of a Realtor®. You can train as a Realtor® and work for yourself, or as part of a real estate office. But either way, the Realtor® designation matters.

Why certification matters:

Membership in the IAPDA provides training, certification, debt settlement industry knowledge, legislative updates and important peer credibility to our members.
There was a time when no certification was needed to work as a debt settlement specialist. However, many states have changed the rules as to who can work in this field (and almost all others are moving towards this). Several states have already enacted legislation that limits debt settlement to only those trained and certified. In these states, the IAPDA is recognized as one of the few accepted certifications (and we’re also on the books to be recognized in the states with pending legislation.)
What the above means is the door is closing – either you’re certified, or you’re out. And those who ARE certified now have a distinct advantage.