"Collections" refers to the process by which creditors attempt to get nonpaying debtors to pay what is owed. There are many laws in Carroll County, Maryland regulating the conduct of collections agences.

What if I Am Owed Money in Carroll County, Maryland?

If you are owed money and the debtor won't pay, for whatever reason, you are entitled to seek collection by any lawful means. Of course, the means of collection that are considered "lawful" are quite limited. You should be aware of the laws that govern collections before you proceed, as breaking them can hurt your chances of collecting, and even expose you to liability.

Some 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 substantial, you might also want to hire a collection agency in Carroll County, Maryland. You should make sure that any agency you hire is trustworthy, and has not been cited for violations of the laws governing collections.

What if Someone Is Trying to Collect Money Against Me in Carroll County, Maryland?

Of course, if you owe money and have the ability to pay it, you should do so. If the collections caller is behaving civilly, 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 Carroll County, Maryland. 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 stop calling you, and they typically are obliged to do so. Of course, this doesn't eliminate 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 Carroll County, Maryland attorney during this process, they might advise that the best course of action is to file for bankruptcy. This is a major decision, however, and should not be made lightly. You should only file for bankruptcy if an attorney advises you that it is a viable possible option, given your individual circumstances.

How Can a Carroll County, Maryland Collections Attorney Help?

If you think that the collection agency is violating the law in its attempts to collect, you should probably call a Carroll County, Maryland attorney, since such actions on the part of the creditor might actually give you a claim for damages against it.

Also, if you are considering bankruptcy as an option, a good Maryland attorney can help guide you through the process.