How many collection accounts did/do you have?

[treehugger1]

I'm curious as to how many accounts folks had go into collections. I'm looking at about 7 - 8 accounts that will most likely be sent to collection agencies. This seems high to me, but I get the sense that maybe this is not so high after all. Cheers.

[CPO]

18 creditors involved in my BK. 2 secured, never went to collections as I remained current and both with "intent to reaffirm." 2 student loan accounts on deferrment.

All the rest (14) unsecured.

A total of 22 collection accounts, with a few multiple accounts on a single creditor.

Yes, I've had my share of fun...

But like most military folks I'm trained, experienced in and fight best surrounded, outnumbered and outgunned.

Victory is mine

CPO

[CATCHMEIFYOUCAN]

12 years ago the first time before I filed Bankruptcy, I thought I could "hide," from the collectors (think I had about a dozen of em'). I moved to my sisters house in PA from VA and rented a mailbox. Within a month, I got a pile of collection letters! I don't know how they did it THAN. This time around, when I decided to file, my debt never had the chance to hit collections, I was only maybe a month or so behind on some of my creditors and others I wasn't even behind.

Best Wishes, CMIYC

[CityGirl]

If they didn't go to collections, then they're not collection accounts right? I think that's what he means.
I'm not in collections either, but I will be with AMEX. I'm trying to pay all other bills and give them hunks of what I can because its the type of credit card you are supposed to pay off each month and I just cant. It's at 3500 for this month and 3200 due next month.
I can pay about a grand this month and not sure how much next month but if I sell this internet thing at work, it's 1800 commissions ( supposed to close it today ) so that will all go to them.
Car will be 30 days past due in 2 weeks and will pay that tomorrow.
I hope to get caught up soon but then I'll have to file in October/November or so. I am meeting with atty on tues. I have to gathr all my paperwork now. SO much work! I dont know how anyone can do it without an atty!

[CATCHMEIFYOUCAN]

Amex

If they didn't go to collections, then they're not collection accounts right? I think that's what he means.
I'm not in collections either, but I will be with AMEX. I'm trying to pay all other bills and give them hunks of what I can because its the type of credit card you are supposed to pay off each month and I just cant. It's at 3500 for this month and 3200 due next month.
I can pay about a grand this month and not sure how much next month but if I sell this internet thing at work, it's 1800 commissions ( supposed to close it today ) so that will all go to them.
Car will be 30 days past due in 2 weeks and will pay that tomorrow.
I hope to get caught up soon but then I'll have to file in October/November or so. I am meeting with atty on tues. I have to gathr all my paperwork now. SO much work! I dont know how anyone can do it without an atty!

Watch for those junk collectors when and if AMEX sells your account, because when I filed way back when, AMEX was on my list of debtors. After my discharge (12 years ago) I got phone calls and letters wanting to settle for less up to 4 years out of Bk! For the caller I told them I filed Bankruptcy - no further discussions. With the letters I sent them a copy of my discharge. Settling for 50% sounded enticing (they even offered to settle even lower! as the years went by), but I thought to myself, why? when I owe nothing now .. that would defeat the purpose of filing Bk.

Best of Luck, CMIYC

[IOIOIO]

18 creditors involved in my BK. 2 secured, never went to collections as I remained current and both with "intent to reaffirm." 2 student loan accounts on deferrment.CPO

CPO, how long have your student loans been in deferment?

[CPO]

CPO, how long have your student loans been in deferment?

6 months on an unemployment deferrment...

Just got another for another 6 months...

Total of 12 months unemployment in Texas but you only get cash benefits for 6 months...

They are consolidated with Citibank (The Student Loan Corporation).

Easy application, no problems.

CPO

[CindyLou]

I had multiple major creditors including chase, boa, Bank One, AMex Green , and various dept. store credit cards to the tune of approx. 20 creditors. Once I decided to file I stopped paying them cold....all at once. I had just bought new living room furniture on my Amex, which I fully intended to pay in full that same month..charged it for the points, then circumstances quickly changed with my husbands job, literally withing a week... So, because of that large charge, I was trying to wait 6 months. Then during that 6 months I got laid of and we moved from TX to CA. After the move we had to wait another 6 months to establish residency and then we really didn't have the money. Then another year passed, etc. etc. Then we had to file before the law changed. The reason I am saying all this is just to try to say that if you are going to file, then STOP throwing your money away. I didn't have any judgments in all that time. Not saying you won't get any. Chances are you will, I was lucky, but it takes time, its not overnight, and paying "one more" bill or making "one more" deal is not going to make it go away. If there is a chance you can dig your way out that is one thing, but if you are just spinning your wheels then that is another. Ok, enough of my preaching for one night. Hopefully you guys will take our advice and committ either way. Don't know how many ways to say it.

[treehugger1]

I'm not exactly sure what I will succeed at, but I do expect judgments on the horizon. My best guess is that I have about a dozen creditors that could go for judgments. About half of these are under $2000 debts. If I can't keep up with the agreements I've made with the other half-dozen large creditors, then I suspect many of them will seek judgments. But then you never know. Some are currently working with me, but I have two very difficult months ahead of me. I just learned that I will see a $9k - $11K increase in my annual salary beginning the first of November LOL. Go figure. I still think I'll sit back and see what my informal bankruptcy leads to. It's great to hear what other folks had in terms of debt accounts that went to collections. Good information to share with everyone.

[monlyba]

how many of my accounts have moved on to collection agencies? about all of them! i don't even know... 15-20 or so? a lot!

oh, and to go along with what cindylynnsmith said... i agree, stop paying the bills if you know you're going to file bk! what is the point? especially if you're doing ch7. i haven't paid a cc bill in about 5 yrs now and i just get calls and letters, nothing too crazy. i've put it off way too long i know, and the main reason i am finally ready to commit to doing it is because i'm growing up, have a child, ready to get married soon, and i know i'm going to need some credit for a new car eventually, a house, etc. i've been doing ok for the past 5 yrs just scraping by without any type of credit. anyway, the point is you are basically giving them money for no reason if you're going to file soon. there's absolutely no point in it.

[CityGirl]

wow, and I'm scared to go ONE month!!!
How did you get by without them suing you for that long~?? WOW!!

how many of my accounts have moved on to collection agencies? about all of them! i don't even know... 15-20 or so? a lot!

oh, and to go along with what cindylynnsmith said... i agree, stop paying the bills if you know you're going to file bk! what is the point? especially if you're doing ch7. i haven't paid a cc bill in about 5 yrs now and i just get calls and letters, nothing too crazy. i've put it off way too long i know, and the main reason i am finally ready to commit to doing it is because i'm growing up, have a child, ready to get married soon, and i know i'm going to need some credit for a new car eventually, a house, etc. i've been doing ok for the past 5 yrs just scraping by without any type of credit. anyway, the point is you are basically giving them money for no reason if you're going to file soon. there's absolutely no point in it.

[treehugger1]

There isn't anyone who is going to "sue" you in a month. Two months, maybe if they are local and it is a small claim. If you know you are going to file, let them huff and puff. I just determined that I will have 13 potential lawsuits (small claims and circuit court) in the queue by December. If the local small creditors are "smart" they will get their judgment and garnishment by November. If this is the case, then by January, the number will be down to 7 biggies who might or migth not file suit. Of these 7, three have already been told to cease and desist by my state's attorney general's office, since they were not registered to collect in my state. I was thinking I would file a 13 in November or January, but now I'm holding out that a federal judge will eventually decide that guaranteed student loans are "priority" unsecured debts. Then, I'm hoping the final 7 will get blown off in a BK 13, as my immense student loans, and retirement loans will take all of the five-year payment plan.

[USCGrad90]

I had about 25 accounts - nearly all in collection - about 7-8 from medical. I had one lady from an outfit in Minn that was actually nice and tried to work and let me make some arrangements for a while, but what drove me to finally file was when one collector on a $4K Credit Card started hassling me. He was with a group in Ohio and I was ready to pull $1500 out of my 401K to pay the account down, but he said he couldn't wait 2 weeks for it and needed something immediately. He played a good cop/bad cop routine with his supervisor, who pretty much told me I was worthless and I should be asking my friends and relatives for the money. He didn't care where it came for or whether I could pay it back, but kept telling me he would give me an extra day to come up with the cash. After this went on for a few days and a few contradictions later, I contacted a lawyer and set an appointment to get the paperwork together. Once the collections calls stopped, I found a little peace that I haven't had in years. I'm still not out of the woods yet, but at least I don't dread hearing the phone ring or what I might get in the mail.

[danaf]

I have a friend who had 100+ k in unsecured debt. He lost his job 9/11 and it wasn't until a yr later that he got a new job. He just now decided to file a bk because some bottomfeeders got judgements. Honestly, when he told me he was going to try to wait out the 7 yrs, I couldn't believe that no one had gotten judgements already.

Too bad he didn't file 3 or 4 yrs ago. He would have been that much ahead of the game and probably would have slept better.

But he'll do just fine with this 7. He makes under the median. And his debt is so old.

[finallyfree!]

I may be mistaken, but I thought Collections fell off your Credit Report after 2 years? I was told that by a mortgage broker. Or, at least, the mortgage people did not consider them in the Sub-prime market. Also, that after 2 years, they could not collect on Collections? That's why they harrass you so bad, because they know that they have a limited time? I could be completely wrong here, can someone shed some light?