Broadly, the term "Collections" refers to the practice of creditors trying to force debtors to pay what they owe. There are many laws and regulations in Beaumont, Texas that govern collection agencies, and strictly limit the types of tactics they are allowed to engage in.
What if I Am Owed Money in Beaumont, Texas?
If somebody owes you money and is declining to pay, you have several options at your disposal. However, in doing so, you will be governed by very specific consumer protection rules that govern the collection of debts. Violating these rules can hurt your chances at effectively collecting, and might even expose you to civil liability.
The law prohibits creditors from engaging in any form of violence against the debtor in an attempt to collect. It also bars them from using abusive language or contacting third parties about the debt owed by the debtor.
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 significant, you might also want to hire a collection agency in Beaumont, Texas. You should make sure that any agency you hire is reputable, and has not been cited for violations of the rules governing collections.
What if Someone Is Trying to Collect Money Against Me in Beaumont, Texas?
Of course, if you owe money and have the capacity to pay it, you should do so. If the collections caller is behaving amicably, 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.
Your best option in Beaumont, Texas might be to contact the creditor directly, and try to work out some type of new repayment plan. The earlier you do this, the more receptive to your ideas the creditor is likely to be. If this isn't successful, you can demand that the collectors stop contacting you by phone, and they will usually be obliged to do so. Of course, this doesn't make the debt go away, and you should only take this route if you are ready to defend against a lawsuit from your creditors, since demanding that they stop contacting you generally leaves them with no other option but to sue.
If you have hired a lawyer in Beaumont, Texas, 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 particular case, so you should not do so unless an attorney has reviewed the facts and determined that bankruptcy is a viable solution.
How Can a Beaumont, Texas Collections Attorney Help?
If you think that a collection agency is engaging in abusive tactics, you should call a local Beaumont, Texas attorney, as you might have a claim for damages against the creditor or the collection agency.
If you are thinking about applying for bankruptcy, a seasoned lawyer in Texas can help you with that process, too.