Can a Collection Agency Sue for a Debt?

With the economy being what it is many people are asking the question, Can a collection agency sue for a debt. While you cannot be sent to jail for not paying a debt, you can, in fact, be sued for outstanding balances on consumer credit card accounts.

It used to be in years past most credit card companies did not bother to sue people for unpaid balances, but with times being rough for everyone right now, that has changed. Credit card companies are beginning to go to greater lengths to collect the money that is owed to them.

In the past, most lenders spent 3-6 months trying to collect your balance and after that the account was normally turned over to a collection agency and they tried to collect for another year or two.

But now, credit card companies are beginning to take people to court for what they owe on their accounts. This could lead to a judgment and most likely will end in wage garnishment. And in today's society, wage garnishment is frowned upon by many employers. Letting your debt get to this stage is something that you should avoid. There are other ways of dealing with your debt.

Credit counseling is an option for an individual that can make a 2 percent payment on your account. You will have the benefit of one monthly payment and will be out of debt in 5-7 years with very little impact to your credit report.

Debt settlement is an option that will reduce your credit card balances through a negotiation process with the lender. You can be out of debt in less than 3 years, but your credit will suffer by using this option. But if you have a large amount of debt, it will probably still be worth it.

Bankruptcy should be used only as a last resort, but it is still better than doing nothing. Many people delay making decisions about their debt and in the end are left with few options, due to this delay.

If you are only making minimum payment or are faced with wondering if a collection agency can sue for a debt, start looking for options that will head you toward debt freedom. There is no better feeling than seeing outstanding credit card balances decreasing. The sooner you get started, the sooner you find yourself on the road to debt freedom and your way to a financially stable future.

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