How to Find the Collection Agency I Owe Money To?


Dwelling in the age of uncertainties and financial intricacies, probably every household has got hold of minimum or maximum debts and advanced money at some point in their lives. Everyone from these times has currently owed an overdue amount to someone else, resulting in the deeply embedded concept of debts. However, the repayment of debt comes with the essentials of social applications where money is to be returned through the principles of fairness and appreciation. On the other hand, the collections of debts have given rise to substantial financial challenges and burdened the already delicate financial system. Consequently, economic globalization, financial regulations, and tax laws have been introduced to scrutinize the debt regulation system. This concept establishes financial instruments in society, allowing banks and other interest-based companies to materialize. It should be noted that debt collection is not performed on an individual basis only, but most of the institutes acquire debt from large-scale and centralized developed platforms. Regardless, it is a bitter truth that debt is hardly remunerated, making it inescapable.

What does it mean to owe money?

To owe money means that you are obligated to pay or repay in return for something received. Usually, people who owe money are obligated to pay or refund, for example: to owe the bank interest on a mortgage, to owe money to the bank, etc.

It is believed that currently, almost all US households and family members are accumulatively obligated to pay around $14.9 trillion reported in 2020. If this amount is broken down individually, each American resident owes approximately $92,727. Revolving these figures leads to confusion, fostering you to find out the accurate scheme to analyze the previous balance. However, there is no such calculated formula and precise way to assess the debt owed. Regardless, you can still get your head around the digits by doing a little financial exercise and checking the history of credit reports, along with comparing previous utility bills and calling creditors.

How to find the collection agency I owe money to?

To determine which collection agency you owe money to, you must get your credit reports from US credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. In addition, you need to check your Voicemail, Caller ID, all letters, and phone calls because the creditor maybe tried to reach you in the past.

How to get a list of creditors?

To get a list of creditors, you need to get your credit reports from US credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. You will find creditors ‘ details in one of these three major credit bureaus. If you are outside the US, try to find domestic credit bureaus.

If you are interested in finding out the amount of balance you owe, then you need to process by examining your credit reports. The credit report can be accessed from the major credit apps are Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. Creditors primarily document accounts to credit hubs or bureaus responsible for adding them to the credit report they are supposed to maintain. You will come across account types mentioned on the credit reports, including credit cards, personal debts, mortgages, and other loans. The credit report list will directly display pending money on every account.
Furthermore, the credit report will also outline the history of payments made and their current status. You will also be provided with the creditor’s contact information, who monitors the debt situation. The credit report is provided to the household annually as prescribed by federal law. You can visit the annualcreditreport.com and access the free Experian credit report at any time of the year. However, these three credit platforms provide free services to explore debt collection by April 20, 2022. The monthly credit reports, free of cost, will be available on annualcreditreport.com

Having access to a credit report directly reveals the pending debt. Despite this, the creditor may not have the authority to share account information with the credit platforms. This situation arises if lenders document account activity to the credit apps even though they are not supposed to.

Can collection agencies charge more than you owe?

Yes, collection agencies can charge more than you owe but they can charge only fees and interest from your original agreement. Usually, collection agencies will add additional credit interest and collection efforts fees to the final balance.

 

How to check debt review status?

To check debt review status, you need to go to the online website of the major credit bureaus such as Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. You can check debt for free once per year.

On the credit report, fill out the personal information and debt collection insights accurately. All debts isolated through closed accounts before ten years are not summarized on the credit report. The old debts and the preceding history of loans may appear on the original credit reports, but they are automatically cast off after ten years. Accounts are deferred because late payments are also removed after seven years. The credit report also highlights certain exceptions regarding the types of debt. This includes, for example, medical debt, which is mostly not found on credit reports unless they are due way past the deadline and mentioned under the collection account.

Similarly, retail payment plans that are not reported to the credit bureau are also not highlighted. Therefore, you will only see your account on the credit report in most scenarios if the creditor documents your account and sends it to the debt collection agency. However, if the credit report has not outlined any pending debt, you can go through your earlier utility bills and contact the creditors to find out the amount you owe.

How to clear debt after finding them?

  1. Collect your debt: You need to create a comprehensive list comprising existing and general obligations. Credit cards, student loans, personal loans, cars, and mortgages can be included. With each category, highlight the details of the individual you owe money to, the exact amount you owe, along with the interest rate and the monthly payment if necessary.
  2. Pay according to the priority level: By the time the list has been created, you may have an idea of an exceedingly prioritized debt amount that tops the priority level compared to the other amounts. This amount should be paid first and followed by the less significant sum. Therefore consider paying off that urgent amount and needs to be delivered without further delay.
  3. Establish a budget: Thoroughly analyze your monthly income and compare it with your expenses to set realistic financial goals. This will help you draft a clear and precise budget allowing you to pay off your debts wisely and quickly.
  4.  Select a payoff method: Currently, there are two methods known as debt avalanche and the debt snowball method. The former involves getting out the debt amount with the maximum interest rate and then paying off debt with the second-highest interest rate. The latter prioritizes the debt with the lowest interest rate before the next one. These methods are applicable with credit card debt as such methods can help you prioritize and talk to text.

After analyzing your credit accounts, if you find out that your debt has already reached the collections, you need to embark on a new prioritizing journey. It would help if you addressed it by taking the matter seriously.

You can make phone calls and politely request the debt collector temporarily suspend communication. You can also negotiate with a debt collector and ask if they would be settling for a lump sum amount of money that is less than that vast amount. You can also ask for monetary assistance from a nonprofit credit counseling platform. lastly, you also have the option to hire an attorney if the situation becomes comes out of control

Daniel Smith

Daniel Smith

Daniel Smith is an experienced economist and financial analyst from Utah. He has been in finance for nearly two decades, having worked as a senior analyst for Wells Fargo Bank for 19 years. After leaving Wells Fargo Bank in 2014, Daniel began a career as a finance consultant, advising companies and individuals on economic policy, labor relations, and financial management. At Promtfinance.com, Daniel writes about personal finance topics, value estimation, budgeting strategies, retirement planning, and portfolio diversification. Read more on Daniel Smith's biography page. Contact Daniel: daniel@promtfinance.com

Recent Posts