"Collections" refers broadly to the countless tools that creditors have at their disposal to acquire payment from debtors who are not paying what they owe. There are many Hunterdon County, New Jersey 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 Hunterdon County, New Jersey?

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 rules that govern collections before you proceed, as violating them can hurt your chances of collecting, and even expose you to liability.

For example, when trying to collect, creditors are not allowed to use abusive language, contact any third party regarding the debt, and of course they are not allowed to use threats of violence in an attempt to get their money.

Creditors may, however, send written demands for timely payment, along with an invoice that precisely lays out exactly what the debtor owes. If the debt is substantial, it might be worth it to hire a Hunterdon County, New Jersey collection agency, which usually gets paid through a percentage of the debt collected. You should make sure, however, that the agency is trustworthy, and hasn't been cited for violations of consumer protection laws.

What if Someone Is Trying to Collect Money Against Me in Hunterdon County, New Jersey?

If you truly owe the money that they are attempting to collect, and are able to pay it, doing so would be your best option for ending the collections calls. Of course, this is not everybody's situation. When dealing with collectors, you should try to maintain the high ground by behaving in a calm and polite manner. In any event, you should never ignore the problem, as this usually makes things worse.

Thankfully, you have numerous options at your disposal in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. First, you should try to contact the creditor directly, and see if some sort of solution can be worked out. If this is unsuccessful, you can tell the collectors to stop contacting you, which may work in some instances. Of course, this doesn't make the debt go away, but it might give you a little bit of breathing room. The collectors will only be allowed to contact you to let you know that they are suing you for the money owed, or that they have stopped trying to collect the debt.

If you have hired a lawyer in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, they might advise that you apply for bankruptcy. Of course, whether or not this is a good idea depends strongly on the facts of your specific case, so you should not do so unless an attorney has reviewed the facts and determined that bankruptcy is a possible solution.

How Can a Hunterdon County, New Jersey Collections Attorney Help?

If you believe that a creditor is violating the law in its effort to collect from you, you should get in touch with a Hunterdon County, New Jersey attorney, since you may actually have a claim for damages against the creditor.

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