Debt settlement isn’t the Wild West industry it was a decade ago, when people routinely paid hefty upfront fees to companies that failed to deliver any relief. Thanks to increased regulation and enforcement, the much smaller number of settlement companies that remain often do what they promise: persuade at least some of a borrower’s creditors to forgive part of the debt, typically in exchange for a lump sum payment. Several people I’ve interviewed lately reported positive experiences with debt settlement, so I decided to take another look at the industry.