WPC?* Tc"Ydž.㺌wc52s gYSb-D:˼EN 0  0  0  0 0 0 0 0  0  0  0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0y 0i 0Y 0F! 0n3" 0S" 0L" 0Y@#U,# 1e# 7*$D8$UL|$U4$$ 0N % 0Z%#&UN( %')M-)(1)NY) 1u[) 72)^ *w*4*&* m(*\  `&Times New Roman' Coping With Debt Collection "Gail Andrews"0Gail Andrews .   2Y+V 0_level1  , A7   8@ HPX "%A23  ..  >48@ HPX "%>  2V+V 0_level2  X >4888@ HPX "%>23  ..  >48@ HPX "%>  2V+V 0_level3   >4ddd@ HPX "%>23  ..  >48@ HPX "%>  2S+V 0_level4   ;1@ HPX "%;23  ..  >48@ HPX "%>  2S+V 0_level5   ;1@ HPX "%;23  ..  >48@ HPX "%>  2P+V 0_level6   8.@ HPX "%823  ..  >48@ HPX "%>  2P+V 0_level7  4 8.   @ HPX "%823  ..  >48@ HPX "%>  2M+V 0_level8  ` 5+@ @ @ HPX "%523  ..  >48@ HPX "%>  2M+V 0_level9   5+l l l HPX "%523  ..  >48@ HPX "%>  2YV 0_levsl1  , A7   8@ HPX "%A23  Ԁ  >48@ HPX "%>  2VV 0_levsl2  X >4888@ HPX "%>23  Ԁ  >48@ HPX "%>  2VV 0_levsl3   >4ddd@ HPX "%>23  Ԁ  >48@ HPX "%>  2SV 0_levsl4   ;1@ HPX "%;23  Ԁ  >48@ HPX "%>  2SV 0_levsl5   ;1@ HPX "%;23  Ԁ  >48@ HPX "%>  2PV 0_levsl6   8.@ HPX "%823  Ԁ  >48@ HPX "%>  2PV 0_levsl7  4 8.   @ HPX "%823  Ԁ  >48@ HPX "%>  2MV 0_levsl8  ` 5+@ @ @ HPX "%523  Ԁ  >48@ HPX "%>  2MV 0_levsl9   5+l l l HPX "%523  Ԁ  >48@ HPX "%>  2YV 0_levnl1  , A7   8@ HPX "%A23   >48@ HPX "%>  2VV 0_levnl2  X >4888@ HPX "%>23   >48@ HPX "%>  2VV 0_levnl3   >4ddd@ HPX "%>23   >48@ HPX "%>  2SV 0_levnl4   ;1@ HPX "%;23   >48@ HPX "%>  2SV 0_levnl5   ;1@ HPX "%;23   >48@ HPX "%>  2PV 0_levnl6   8.@ HPX "%823   >48@ HPX "%>  2PV 0_levnl7  4 8.   @ HPX "%823   >48@ HPX "%>  2MV 0_levnl8  ` 5+@ @ @ HPX "%523   >48@ HPX "%>  2MV 0_levnl9   5+l l l HPX "%523   >48@ HPX "%>  <:Default ParaXXX. ,Title     6  4Body Text    64Hyperlink    $Tahoma 35;AGMSY_11.A.i.1.a.i.1.a.# i.http://www.annualcreditreport.com2L@14Copperplate GothicBold*  q`Amazone BT#|x(O$($..      ,XXXX,XXXXX,XXHP LaserJet 3050 Series PCL 60(9 Z6Times New Roman Regular,X3#37=CIQYag1.a.i.(1)(a)(i)1)a)1i)R: Z^7::i+00U *!..      ,XXXX,XXXXX,XX  _       Xh       &~%XXX"& %%&~CopingWithDebtCollection&݌ X Ќ    "Ւ %"&   "h "Ւ1.Yourtelephoneisforyourconvenience,notthatofdebtcollectors.Youpaythebill,notthem.Evenifyouweretaught ~ nevertoberudetoacaller,sometimesonlyrudenessworks. F "Ւ "h # (031""  XH4888@ HPX "%XH  ,XK4   @ HPX "%888XK"h "Ւ2  A  .3      GetcallerID,anddonotanswerifyouseethatthecallerisa1800number,oranameandnumberyoudonotknow.  Noneofmyfriendsorfamilyhave1800numbers.Doyours?݌ w Ќ ,' X   X'   ""  XH4888@ HPX "%XH  ,XK4   @ HPX "%888XKi2  B  .3      Ifyoufeelyoumustanswer,tellthecalleryouhavenomoneytopaythem,andhangup.Eveniftheycontinuetotalk, ? astheywill.iS݌ _ Ќ ,' X   X'   ""  XH4888@ HPX "%XH  ,XK4   @ HPX "%888XK2  C  .3      Iftheycontinuetocall,unplugyourtelephoneforawhile,orturnoffthebell. ݌ '   Ќ ,' X   X'   ""  XH4888@ HPX "%XH  ,XK4   @ HPX "%888XK 2  D  .3      Iftheycallyourplaceofbusiness,writealetterrequiringthemnottocallyouthere;keepacopy;andiftheycontinueto    callthere,keepalogoftheircalls,tellingthemthatyouaredoingso.Itisaviolationoffairdebtcollectionlawsforthem  _  tocontinuetocontactyouatyourplaceofbusinessafteryouhavetoldthemnottodoso. ݌  '  Ќ ,' X   X'   ""  XH4888@ HPX "%XH  ,XK4   @ HPX "%888XK2  E  .3      Itisalsoaviolationoflawforthemtoharassyou,bycallingrepeatedlythesamedayafteryouhavespokenwiththem, G  orafterorbeforenormalworkinghours.Mostwillstopcallingwhenyougivethemthenameandtelephonenumberof   alawyerthatyouhavehiredtorepresentyouinbankruptcy.Itisaviolationoffederallawforcreditorstocontinueto    callyouafterhavingbeentoldthecasenumberforyourbankruptcy.݌ G  Ќ ,' X   X'   "Ւ "h"h "Ւ2.Mostcreditcardcompanieswillnotnegotiatewithyouaslongasyoucontinuetomakeyourpayments.Youmust put   themincrisisbyrefusingtomakeyourpayments,beforetheywillnegotiate,ifinfacttheyareeverwillingtodoso.Some x neverare.Ifyoudonegotiateacashsettlementforlessthanthetotalbalance,getitinwritingbeforeyoupay,andinsist @ thattheyreportthebilltocreditreportingcompaniesaspaidinfull,andprovideyouwithproof.Otherwise,yourcredit ` reportremainsbad,andthesettlementdidnotaccomplishyourgoalofrebuildingyourcredit.Verifythestatusyourselfby ( gettingafreecreditreportat4% )O  5  !  www.annualcreditreport.com!\*  6)$*  7 R.Ifyougotoasitethattriestosellyouidentitytheftinsurance  orsomethingsimilar,youareatthewrongwebsite. ` "Ւ "h        "h "Ւ3.Mortgagecompanieswillnotforecloseonyourhomejustbecauseyouareoneortwopaymentsbehind.Theprocessof ! foreclosurehasspecificlegalstepsthatmustbefollowed,andwhichcanbeusedtodelaythetimebeforeyouabsolutely  mustleavethehome.Evenifyoudonotdefendtheforeclosurebyansweringthelawsuit,youwillbegivenATLEAST30 Y daysnoticebeforeahouseissoldatthecourthouse.Bankruptcycandelaythatdate.Beforethesaledate,YOUarein y! controlofwhenyouleavethehome.Foreverymonththatyoudelay,youarenotpayingrentsomeplaceelse.Ifyouare A losingyourhome,thismaybeyourfinalopportunitytoregainsomeofthemoneythatyouhaveputintothehome.Some   clientshavestayedinthehomeayearwithoutmakingpayments.Othershavebeenencouragedbytheirlenderstostay, y  paytheelectricbill,andmaintaintheyard,whilethehomewasforsale,eventhoughtheyweremakingnopayments. ݌ A! Ќ   4.Payattentiontoyourhealth,andthatofyourfamily,BEFOREpayingcreditcardbills.DoNOTneglectyourprescriptions )# orotherhealthissues,justtopayabill.Afterall,ifyouaredead,youwillnotcareaboutyourcreditscore,andneitherwill $ thedebtcollectors.Buygroceries,paynecessaryutilities,keepdoctorappointmentsandthoseofothercounseling a% professionalswhocanhelpyouthroughthiscrisis.Youdonothaveasecondopportunitytolivethislife.Yourcreditcanbe )& rebuilt,ifyousochoose.Creditisanartificialmeasureofyourworthasahumanbeing,andthecreditorsdidnotlendyou I ' moneybecauseyouareagoodperson.Itwasabusinessdecisionontheirparttolendtoyou,andyouareentitledtomake !( abusinessdecisionastowhetheryouneedtostartoverwithacleanslate. !) "Ւ "h"h "Ւ5.Donotcontinuetoblameyourselfforyourcurrentfinancialdifficulty,unlessyouareoneoftheveryfewpeoplewho B# + deliberatelydecidedtorunupcreditcardbillsashighashumanlypossible,andthendeclarebankruptcy.(Andifyouare,  $!, youareNOTaclientofthisoffice!)ConsiderthatworldclassfinancialadvisorsdidnotpreventWachoviaorWashington $z"- MutualorLehmanBrothersfromfilingbankruptcy.Whyshouldyoubeheldtoanevenhigherstandardoffinancial %B#. knowledge? b& $/ "Ւ "h"h "Ւ6.Manydebtcollectorswillthreatentotakemoneyfromyourbankaccount,ortotakeyourhome,orsalary,evenifthey 's%1 cannotlegallydoso,forthepurposeofgettingyoutovoluntarilypaythem.Theymaylietoyou,becauseitoftenworks. (;&2 Theygetpaidtocollect.Findoutthetruthyourself.Veryfewcantakepension,retirement,publicassistance,Social [)'3 Security,ortheincomeofhouseholdswithminorchildrenandlimitedincome.Takeyouradvicefromsomeoneotherthan #*'4 thedebtcollector,preferablyaknowledgeablelawyer,manyofwhomwillconsultwithyouforfree,especiallyregarding *(5 bankruptcy. +[)6 "Ւ "h"h "Ւ7.Donotallowyourselftocontinuetofeelhelpless.Youarenot.Therearechoicesyoucanmake,whichwilldetermine -*8 howandwhereyouwillbewhenthiscurrentfinancialdifficultypasses,asitwill.Theymaynotbeyourfirst,ormost ideal -+9 choices,butyouhavetheabilitytochoosewhenandwhereyoumove,orlive,andhowmuchstresswithwhichYOUare .T,: willingtolive.Yourpastchoicesarehistory.Withinformation,youwillmakebetterfuturechoices."XEX"hXXXX"XE t/-; gXXX  ̤g&̤GailE.Andrews&&u%&&~%%&&u,'&H%%&~AttorneyatLaw&~%%'&HԀ/g%&~"g1750GA1ASouth,St.Augustine,FL32080/904/4710553"XEX"XXXX"XEԀ@..gXXX2008 0.= XXXg