Creditor Won't accept payments

[JusticeForAll]

I have worked out most of my issues regarding past dues, etc. I do have one creditor that I owe $600 to who refuses to allow me to make payments on the account.

I told them I don't have $600 and they still wouldn't take a payment arrangment, they want payment in full in one lump sum payment.

What should I do? I'm worried they will sue me, even though I've made a good faith effort to pay them.

Should I sent payments anyway?

Very confused.

[Fedler]

They're not going to sue over $600. They won't take payments because you already defaulted on that type of agreement once. I assume this wasn't originally a lump-sum loan with a one-time balloon payment. Of course they want it all at once. It's the only way they can guarantee they'll get their money.

If you want to pay it off, you can. A weekend job for a few months should bring in $600. Have anything around the house you can sell on eBay? Borrow the money from a friend or relative?

[JusticeForAll]

I actually do have some items that I could sell on ebay! That is a great idea! Thank you Fedler!

That's what I'll do, I'll sell a couple of items on ebay! I also have some jewelry I could pawn.

I was so wrapped up in it, I didn't see the forest for the trees! $600 shouldn't be too hard to work up.

Thanks again for the great advice, I could probably get them paid in 10 days or less!

[JusticeForAll]

Oh, and this was not an installment type thing. It was for a medical bill. Funny thing is, I thought it was covered under my insurance and they didn't even bill me for it for almost 6 months.

When I asked them why they never sent me a bill before now, they said "we've been backed up in our billing department"

[edwards2]

justice....what items are you selling on ebay? we may do the same thing. I have heard a lot of people talking about the $ they have made on Ebay...

[FoolAndHisMoney]

They're not going to sue over $600. They won't take payments because you already defaulted on that type of agreement once. I assume this wasn't originally a lump-sum loan with a one-time balloon payment. Of course they want it all at once. It's the only way they can guarantee they'll get their money.

If you want to pay it off, you can. A weekend job for a few months should bring in $600. Have anything around the house you can sell on eBay? Borrow the money from a friend or relative?

I agree with everything except the last line. Don't get friends or relatives involved in this if you want to remain friends especially over a credit card payment. Not like it's an emergency.

JusticeForAll, tell the creditor to have it your way and save the $600, then pay them in full when you get it.

[JusticeForAll]

Hello & thanks for the replies.

I have some RC plane stuff that I'm going to sell on ebay. I took an inventory of my hobby things and I've got about 3 RC plane engines that are barely used and I can sell. I think that should bring in about $300.

Then I have some designer handbags that I purchased when I was spending like crazy and one of them is new in the box. I think with those two I can get another $200.

Then I have this jar of coins that I counted up last night that is $114 +/-

With all those items I can get this medical bill cleared up. I'm going to try and put the things on ebay today.

Thanks again for the help! I'll let you know how it turns out.

[uwishtoo]

They're not going to sue over $600. They won't take payments because you already defaulted on that type of agreement once. I assume this wasn't originally a lump-sum loan with a one-time balloon payment. Of course they want it all at once. It's the only way they can guarantee they'll get their money.

If you want to pay it off, you can. A weekend job for a few months should bring in $600. Have anything around the house you can sell on eBay? Borrow the money from a friend or relative?

Sorry but places WILL sue for 600 bucks. I just got served for just a hundred bucks over that amount in Illinois for medical bills. I have never had a payment arrangement that I made bad on with this place that kept hounding me and the bills arent even a year old yet - I was making payments to the hospital after 6 surgeries in 8 months time but they decided that the amount I was sending them wasnt enough - so they turned me over to collections. I offered to send the collections place a lump sum and then make payments til I got my tax refund and I would pay the rest off - I was going to pay half now and half then but no go, they decided to take me to court. They told me to go and get my 401 K out and I told the witch I didnt HAVE anything in my 401 K that was vested and she immediately jumped my crap and said See??? You are refusing to pay - so we will sue - and I said I am NOT refusing to pay - I am trying to make arrangements - you are the one that arent wanting to LET me pay. So at that point I told her to go for it - stop calling me and let it go to court. I have no assets, I have no money - and after my expenses and bills each month I have a whopping 120 a MONTH to live on, gas and food after I pay all of my bills - so they would be getting less from the courts than if they had just worked with me on things.

[pink_amulet]

YES they will sue over $600...I got sue over $321 for a medical bill!!! I was in NW Illinois. So it will and can happen.

My advice to the original poster..... make payments....use Money orders, and keep accurate records. Type up a word document with the balance, and SHOW how you are making a payment and reflect it on your document, and do this EVERY month like clockwork.....they would be stupid to NOT accept the payments, and if they ever tried to take you to court you have all the proof for the judge that you were making monthly timely payments, and taking care of your debts....they judge might scold the creditor for wasting the courts time.

It is VERY common for creditors to claim they won't take payments...they want it paid and over with...but in the long run they will take anything vs. nothing.
Good luck!!

[anonymuse]

The smaller the creditor, the more likely to sue. $1000 to one small business could be .1% of their profit where the same $1000 to a larger business is only .00001%.

[SinkingFast]

The smaller the creditor, the more likely to sue.

True, true.

Our attny said the BIG Creditors typically don't show up at the 341 and raise a stink. It's the little guys they have trouble with.

The local furniture stores and "Buy Here, Die Here" lots and such. The attny proceeded to rattle off a list of people's names. Creditors that always show up at the 341.

As Anon said, the smaller the Creditor, the bigger the hit on their bottom line.

[uwishtoo]

creditors - large vs small

My bill in collections is from a hospital - and the collection place claimed to already have sent it to the attorney to file the papers - I told them I HAD the frigging money - or I would by the end of this week - which I do - but they told me it was out of their hands and in the attorney's now - so I just said fine, take me to court. I know that based onmy exemptions etc that they will be able to get a whopping 9.00 a payehck from me and thats all the judge can legally give them after the formula is done. So, they basically screwed themselves by not accepting my payment offer of two large sums - they will be a long time in getting this money paid to them and I really dont care anymore. I tried to reason with them but they are the rudest place in my town to deal with

[JusticeForAll]

Thanks for the reply!

I sold some of my RC Plane hobby stuff on ebay and took care of the entire amount already.

YES they will sue over $600...I got sue over $321 for a medical bill!!! I was in NW Illinois. So it will and can happen.

My advice to the original poster..... make payments....use Money orders, and keep accurate records. Type up a word document with the balance, and SHOW how you are making a payment and reflect it on your document, and do this EVERY month like clockwork.....they would be stupid to NOT accept the payments, and if they ever tried to take you to court you have all the proof for the judge that you were making monthly timely payments, and taking care of your debts....they judge might scold the creditor for wasting the courts time.

It is VERY common for creditors to claim they won't take payments...they want it paid and over with...but in the long run they will take anything vs. nothing.
Good luck!!

[HHM]

Medical bills can be tricky...in my experience collectors for medical bills are the most aggressive and difficult to deal with. And yes, they are more likely to sue because its an easy lawsuit to win and whatever you signed at the hospital or doctors office when receiving the service will allow for the collection of attorney's fees on top of the amount owed.

However, many states do have special rules for dealing with medical bills, i.e. a collector on a medical bill cannot foreclose on real property (your home) etc. In addition, there are some states that, so long as you are making some type of payments for medical bills, they are not allowed to sue (but this last one is rare, you will need to ask someone in you state who would know).

However, in general, I do not recommend making payments without an agreement from the otherside to accept payments. But if you do, you need to do it in a way that is easily traceable, i.e. personal check or cashiers check that clearly states the Payee, the account number etc...so there is no mistake about what the payment is for.

Lawsuits for small amounts of money are not very stressful if you really think about it...or I should say, they sound worse than they really are. You get served, and hearing is scheduled, you show up at the hearing that may last all of 10 or 15 minutes, plead your side, and the judge makes a decision and its over.

[anonymuse]

I was so surprised that I was accepted at Urgent Care last night. I've been sent to collections from them, and I thought it would flag me or something. But this time, I had insurance so luckily it was only a $35 copay and $30 for meds.