As an Asheville bankruptcy lawyer, I speak everyday with consumers struggling to pay monthly bills. They want to fix things, not only to improve their credit scores, but also to stop the incessant telephone calls from creditors and debt buyers. Its very stressful trying to figure out who to pay, how much to pay, and when to pay if there is not enough money in the budget.
Make a plan to eliminate financial stress.
Many times, when creditors call incessantly, they are doing so because the only way the creditor can get a consumer’s money under North Carolina exemption laws is if that creditor can coerce a voluntary payment. Debt buyers attempt to shame or frighten people into sending them money, but they are very frequently the last creditor a consumer should be paying. Read my recent post about how to prioritize which bills to pay here.
If you find that the creditors calling you are a lower priority in your budget, you can silence the collection calls by following these steps from the Federal Trade Commission. Essentially, if you use the sample letter furnished by the FTC, the creditor is required to stop contacting you.
Before taking those steps, its best to figure out what rights your creditors have. At a free initial bankruptcy consultation, I would be pleased to review the details of your financial situation and explain your rights under the law. More importantly, I can help you establish a priority system for what bills get paid and when they get paid within the confines of your family’s budget.
Photocredit: Skippyhaha
