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 Travis County, 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 Travis County, Texas?

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

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 Travis County, 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 Travis County, Texas?

If you know that you owe the money being sought of you, and have the resources to pay it, you should do so - this is the fastest and surest way to end collections calls. Of course, this is not the case for everyone. Whatever your situation, you should always behave amicably with the collection callers, especially if they are doing the same. Whatever you do, you should not ignore the matter, because this will never make the problem go away, and will make things worse in the long run.

Your best option in Travis County, 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 Travis County, Texas lawyer to help, he or she may advise that you file for bankruptcy. If you do apply for bankruptcy, creditors are immediately required to suspend all collection activities. Of course, bankruptcy is a major decision, and should not be made without the advice of an attorney.

How Can a Travis County, Texas 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 Travis County, Texas 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 Texas can tell you if this is a good option, and, if it is, help you through the process.