You get an advertisement in the mail from a law firm saying a case was filed against you recently and they would like to represent you. At first, you think it is a mistake and then you keep reading. It turns out the credit card debt you have been meaning to start paying down has been sold to a debt collections agency and they are suing you for the balance. If your first instinct is to hide, DO NOT!
Read the initial correspondence very carefully and note any deadlines. In most cases, you should expect to be served a court summons which will include a court date. At this point, you have to decide if you want to try to pay off the full balance before the court date, negotiate with the collections agency yourself, or choose an experienced credit card debt negotiation attorney in Broward County.
Paying off the full balance
If you can afford to pay off the balance before the court date, that may be the way to go. You should keep in mind that a quality credit card debt attorney can often get the debt reduced or even eliminated completely and at a very reasonable rate.
Negotiating with the Collections Agency Yourself
There is a time for negotiating directly with the agency that controls your debt, but more often than not, when the papers are filed and a summons is dispersed, it is too late. The collections agency lawyers have already invested time and effort into the case and they need to get paid to justify those costs. You can try to get the amount decreased, but it may be difficult. Also, you may find that the collections agency is reluctant to accept a payment plan at this point as the debt has already gone unpaid for some time.
Choosing an Experienced Credit Card Debt Attorney
You decide that you cannot afford to pay off the balance before your court date and negotiating with collections agency has gotten you nowhere. It is time to find the right attorney for you.
Things to look for in a debt collection attorney are:
- Experience battling debt collectors.
- Authority within their firm to get things done on time.
- Fair fees and collection expectations
Dsouza Legal Group of Plantation, Florida meets these criteria. Elias Dsouza has been protecting people from debt collectors for over 15 years. He is a Senior Attorney at the firm and specializes in credit card debt settlement. Clients can pay easily and have access to customer service via www.dsouzalegalgroup.com.
