Starting in spring of 2017, the IRS plans to allow private debt collection agencies to retrieve outstanding tax debt from consumers on behalf of the government. Signed into federal law under the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) in ...
Dealing with debt collection agencies is never pleasant and you may find that some are especially persistent —and rude. While debt collectors are required to follow certain laws and regulations, many are guilty of bending or breaking the rules. It’s ...
Have you ever had a crazy debt collector who just wouldn’t leave you alone? I’m talking about the kind of bill collector that calls you at all hours of the morning and night, who calls over and over and over ...
Dealing with debt collectors is stressful. They call at all hours of the day and night. They hound you for money - whether you're working or unemployed. And they generally make life unpleasant when you owe them, or one of ...
Creditors can sell your debt. When your debt is sold to collectors, some might use the threat of court action to try to intimidate you in order to get you to pay up. Technically, it is illegal for collectors or ...
Fortunately, there is one recent change to the world of credit scoring concerning small debts, which are sometimes called “nuisance” collection accounts. In August 2009, Fair Isaac rolled out to all three credit bureaus its newest general-purposeFICO score, dubbed FICO ...
Q: I Live in Michigan and Lost My Job in May 2009. I have Quite a Bit of Credit Card Debt that is in My Name Only. My Only Income is Unemployment. I Do Not Have a Bank Account in ...
If harassing calls from debt collectors are keeping you from answering the phone -- or stressing you out -- you're not alone. Amid the tough economy, debt collection activity has intensified, with some debt collectors engaging in unfair, abusive or ...
Q: I have a recent outstanding debt on my credit report. When I settle it, can the collection agency state as part of their negotiation that they will also remove it from my credit report? A: If you agree to ...
Q: Should I pay off old debt from department store credit cards that are at least 10 years old? It seems like my creditors re-sell my old credit accounts to a new collection agency every few years. A: If a ...
A Facebook fan who has a medical bill that got overlooked after she lost her job was contacted by a debt collection agency who said they have added $150 to the bill as processing fee. She wanted to know if ...
If you can't pay a debt, creditors are willing to settle out of court with you for a lump sum payment of less than the amount you owe, or a monthly payment plan, but they also will not hesitate to ...
Consumers often pay off debt for which creditors can no longer seek legal action because the Statute of Limitations has already expired for the account. Consumers pay off these accounts perhaps because the accounts still appear on their credit reports, ...
Beware of calls from "zombie" debt collectors. These are bill collectors that try to get people to pay money on debts that were allegedly incurred 10, 15 or even 20 years ago. I received such a call today from a ...