"Collections" refers broadly to the numerous tools that creditors have at their disposal to receive payment from debtors who are not paying what they owe. There are many Port Jefferson, New York 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 Port Jefferson, New York?

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

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

You may, however, send a written demand for timely payment. The demand should lay out clearly how much the debtor allegedly owes. If there is a large amount of money involved, it might be worth it to hire a Port Jefferson, New York collections agency, which will probably take its fee in the form of a percentage of the debt collected. You should do some research on various collections agencies in your area, to make sure the one you hire is dependable, and carefully follows the law.

What if Someone Is Trying to Collect Money Against Me in Port Jefferson, New York?

Of course, if you owe money and have the ability to pay it, you should do so. If the collections caller is behaving cordially, 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.

Fortunately, you have some options in Port Jefferson, New York. 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 Port Jefferson, New York attorney to help you through this process, he or she might advise that you declare bankruptcy. Once this occurs, creditors are legally barred from attempting to collect against the debtor. Of course, this is a major decision, and should not be made lightly.

How Can a Port Jefferson, New York Collections Attorney Help?

If you think that the collection agency is violating the law in its attempts to collect, you should probably call a Port Jefferson, New York 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 bankruptcy, a good New York bankrutpcy attorney can help guide you through the process.