"Collections" is the process by which creditors try to get nonpaying debtors to pay the money they owe. There are a huge number of laws in Linn County, Iowa governing the tactics that collection agencies can and cannot do.

What if I Am Owed Money in Linn County, Iowa?

If someone owes you money and won't pay, you have several legal options to seek repayment of your debt. However, you need to be careful in this area. There are many rules and regulations detailing what debt collectors can and cannot do. Violating these laws, even inadvertently, can harm your chances at collecting, and maybe even expose you to civil penalties.

Several practices that collectors cannot engage in include the use of abusive language, contacting third parties about the debt, and threatened or actual violence.

What you can do, however, is send an invoice of the debt to the debtor, along with a firm (but civil) demand for timely payment. If the debt is significant, you might also want to hire a collection agency in Linn County, Iowa. You should make sure that any agency you hire is reputable, and has not been cited for violations of the rules governing collections.

What if Someone Is Trying to Collect Money Against Me in Linn County, Iowa?

Of course, if you owe money and have the capacity to pay it, you should do so. If the collections caller is behaving amicably, you should do the same. In any case, it is never a good idea to ignore the issue, because that will definitely not make it go away.

However, you do have some options in Linn County, Iowa. First of all, you should make an effort to get in direct contact with the creditor, as opposed to the collection agency, and try to work something out. If this fails, you can tell the collections agency to cease calling you, and they usually are obliged to do so. Of course, this doesn't expunge the debt, but it can buy you some time. You should know, however, that when you show that you are not interested in dealing with the creditors or collectors directly, they will usually resort to a lawsuit.

If you have retained a Linn County, Iowa attorney during this process, they might advise that the best course of action is to apply for bankruptcy. This is a major decision, however, and should not be made easily. You should only apply for bankruptcy if an attorney advises you that it is a viable viable option, given your individual circumstances.

How Can a Linn County, Iowa Collections Attorney Help?

If you think that a collection agency is engaging in abusive tactics, you should call a local Linn County, Iowa attorney, as you might have a claim for damages against the creditor or the collection agency.

Also, if you're considering applying for bankruptcy, a seasoned attorney in Iowa can tell you if this is a good option, and, if it is, help you through the process.