Broadly, the term "Collections" refers to the practice of creditors trying to force debtors to pay what they owe. There are various laws and regulations in State College, Pennsylvania that govern collection agencies, and strictly limit the types of tactics they are authorized to engage in.

What if I Am Owed Money in State College, Pennsylvania?

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 specific consumer protection laws. Violating these laws can hurt your chances of recovering what you are owed, and even subject you to civil or criminal 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.

One thing you are allowed to do is send a written demand for immediate payment. The demand should lay out the precise 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 wise to hire a State College, Pennsylvania collections agency. If you go this route, it is essential 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 State College, Pennsylvania?

Of course, if you owe money and have the capacity to pay it, you should do so. If the collections caller is behaving courteously, 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 State College, Pennsylvania. 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 normally 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 hired a State College, Pennsylvania attorney to help you through this process, he or she may advise that you declare bankruptcy. Once this occurs, creditors are legally barred from trying to collect against the debtor. Of course, this is a major decision, and should not be made lightly.

How Can a State College, Pennsylvania 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 State College, Pennsylvania attorney, since you may actually have a claim for damages against the creditor.

If you are thinking about applying for bankruptcy, a seasoned lawyer in Pennsylvania can help you with that process, too.