"Collections" refers broadly to the many tools that creditors have at their disposal to obtain payment from debtors who are not paying what they owe. There are many Cozad, Nebraska laws and regulations concerning the conduct of collections agencies, and what they can and cannot do in order to collect.

What if I Am Owed Money in Cozad, Nebraska?

If you are owed money and the debtor refuses to pay, you have some options at your disposal. However, you must tread lightly when it comes to collecting your debts. Creditors and collectors are governed by strict consumer protection rules. Violating these rules can hurt your chances of recovering what you are owed, and even subject you to civil or criminal penalties.

For example, it should go without saying that creditors are not allowed to use threatened or actual violence when trying to collect. They are also not authorized to use abusive language to the debtor, or contact a third party about the debt.

One thing you are allowed to do is send a written demand for immediate payment. The demand should lay out the exact amount you believe is owed, so the debtor cannot plausibly claim ignorance of that fact. If a lot of money is involved, it might be prudent to hire a Cozad, Nebraska collections agency. If you go this route, it is critical to make sure that you hire an agency that is dependable, and follows the relevant law to the letter.

What if Someone Is Trying to Collect Money Against Me in Cozad, Nebraska?

If you really owe the money that is being sought, and can afford to pay it, you should do so. If the collection caller is behaving in a civil manner, you should try to do the same. In any case, the worst thing you can do is ignore the issue hoping that it will go away. It won't.

Fortunately, you have some options in Cozad, Nebraska. First of all, you should try to contact the creditor directly, and see if something can be worked out. If this doesn't work, you can demand that the collection agency stop contacting you by phone. When this happens, they are not authorized to contact you further. This, of course, doesn't make the debt go away, but if the calls are becoming unbearable, it might buy you a little bit of time. Usually, when this happens, the creditor gives up on extra-judicial collections, and files a lawsuit against the debtor.

If you have hired a lawyer in Cozad, Nebraska, they might advise that you file for bankruptcy. Of course, whether or not this is a good idea depends heavily on the facts of your individual case, so you should not do so until an attorney has reviewed the facts and determined that bankruptcy is a feasible solution.

How Can a Cozad, Nebraska Collections Attorney Help?

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

If you are thinking about filing for bankruptcy, a good lawyer in Nebraska can help you with that process, too.