Learn More About The Laws Governing Bad Credit And Debt

By: Kenneth Snodin
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:15:20
Print this article | Tell a friend | For publisher | Social Bookmarking
Rating:
 

There are a number of laws on the books to protect people who have bad credit ratings. These laws are important, and you should know about them in order to protect yourself from unfair practices performed by collection agencies. The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) was enacted to protect debtors from creditors and collection agencies.

As a debtor, you have a right to ask creditors and collection agencies to stop hounding you. You must contact these agencies right away and request that they end communication with you. You should write a letter carefully to avoid giving the collection agency anything it can use against you later on. If you have been threatened with a lawsuit, you can write an informal letter to ask the agency to stop harassing you.

You would be wise to attempt to negotiate with a creditor if you have a current debt. Some creditors may reduce your balance or drop the debt completely in some cases. If you have a debt that is more than seven years old, do not have any communication with the collection agency about that bill. The account should have been removed from your credit report after seven years, and if it has not, the lender is in violation of the law.

Creditors tend to disregard lawsuits because they may feel they will not win them. If your debt is old, collectors want to avoid the high attorney fees associated with collecting it. If you owe a debt, you have the legal right to protect yourself. One of the best ways to resolve credit problems is to repair your credit.

Under the law, collection agencies cannot send mail to your address with any labels or symbols on it. They cannot call your family members about your debt. The agencies must stop communicating with you if you have received a subpoena to appear in court. Additionally, collection agencies cannot call a debtor before eight in the morning or nine in the evening. If you have retained an attorney, and the collection agency knows about this and calls you anyway, you should file a complaint with legal authorities about this.

You must document all relevant information when you are in debt. This will protect you in the future. Collection agencies cannot call you at your job, and they cannot send people to your home disguised as law enforcement or government officials in order to collect a debt. Agencies can’t send letters, make calls, or undertake any type of communication that implies impersonation of something they are not.

If an agency calls you, it must follow the law and identify itself within one minute of the conversation. Collection agencies are prohibited by law to list any person’s name on a ‘deadbeat’ list.

There are many laws on the books to protect you against unfair actions by a collection agency. There are also laws to protect the agencies from debtors, so it is important to know your rights. As a debtor, you should also try to repay what you owe and begin to repair your credit.

Discover more articles and resources discussing the law and offering informal tips for you to persue independantly by visiting http://discover-law.com

Article source: Expert Articles

Most Recent Articles in Debt Relief category

  • Debts are harsh, do away with them - By: Jason Holmes
    Debts can impact your financial status miserably. But you can take control of your finances before they get out of hand. Opting for debt consolidation can be the first step to a debt free life.
  • Debt Relief Program - By: Shane Peeler
    Debt relief can be any consolidation program that provides freedom from debt or help in the process of elimination. There are many alternative solutions to debt problems that are more or less efficient according to an individual's situation and debts involved.
  • Debt Elimination May Be Your Best Debt Cure - By: Jim Vrana
    Too much credit card debt is a financial disease that needs to be cured. Selecting the best debt cure can be a confusing and stressful experience. It is a personal decision on how a person can relieve their debt burden.
  • What should you do if you have credit card debt? - By: Simon Duffy
    Yesterday I read some worrying news that credit card spending is still increasing dispite the past 12 months warning we've had in the form of the credit crunch...
  • Debt Management Services Uk: A Sensible Step Towards Financially Free Life - By: Ashton Gabriel
    Taking up debt management services in UK is an effective way to settle all due debts.
  • How To Get Rid Of Credit Card Debt - By: Michiel Van Kets
    Who doesn't have a credit card these days? Or perhaps a more appropriate question is 'Who doesn't have credit card debt these days'? Think back to when you filled out the first application for a credit card.
  • Debt Settlement - Avoiding financial fiasco - By: Jason Holmes
    Debt settlement allows a debtor to pay much less than he actually owes to a creditor. The process is sometimes referred to as debt forgiveness. A good debt settlement firm can reduce 40% to 60% of the total unpaid amount.
  • How to Choose Between Debt Management and Debt Elimination - By: Jim Vrana
    For people carrying too much credit card debt, choosing the correct debt relief program can be a confusing and stressful experience. There are many factors which are involved in this personal decision.
  • Can IVA Debt Help Clear All Your Debts Forever? - By: Paul Hockney
    An IVA is a debt help solution which can help reduce your debts by up to 75%. So waht is an IVA and can it really help clear all your debts forever. Here we explain an IVA and how it really works.
  • Debt Management Plan: Dream To Be Debt Free - By: Ashton Gabriel
    Now clear all your debts with utmost ease and comfort through a good debt management plan.