Implementing an effective debt collection strategy for your company
Collection Attorney, Stephen Gebeloff is set to release his eBook to help companies with internal debt collection and external debt collection policies and procedures. The eBook is entitled “Collecting Account Receivables.” The eBook was written to help companies tighten up their internal collection procedures. The sub-title of the debt collection book is “Don’t Let Your Company’s Money Burn.”
Guide to Internal Debt Collection Procedures
The debt collection attorneys at our commercial collection law firm believe that if more companies were more proactive with their internal procedures relating to collecting their past due accounts, they would find that there would be a higher rate of recovery on accounts that they extend credit to.
The eBook discusses the differences between collection agencies and collection law firms. Using a commercial collection agency can be useful in some situations. However, credit managers should be mindful that a collection agency is not licensed to practice law. When using collection agencies, if the collection agency is unable to collect on an account, they then must send the file to a commercial collection law firm. The collection agency will charge your company a higher contingency fee as the collection agency will act as a middleman and want to retain a percentage of the contingency fee.
The eBook also discusses the debt collection process once a file is turned over to either a collection agency or debt collection law firm. Once a lawsuit is filed to attempt collection of past due accounts, the various scenarios are discussed. The e-Book gives an outline of the debt collection process. The collection attorneys at The Gebeloff Law Group are always happy to answer any questions your company may have. We will discuss the differences between commercial collection agencies, commercial collection law firms and how each may or may not be appropriate to help your company recover past due accounts.
Collection Agencies Refer Their Debt Collection Files from Their Collection Agency to Our Debt Collection Law Firm
We have been discussing the differences between a debt collection law firm and commercial collection agency in several past articles on our debt collection blog. The first thing that our collection law firm emphasizes to our clients who seek our counsel in how to collect on past due collection accounts is that collection agencies are not licensed to practice law.
Collection agencies are limited in the means and methods available to the collection agency in attempting to recover past due accounts.
A typical collection agency will send out a series of collection letters and then make repeated phone calls. In these tough economic times, that usually is not enough. Most businesses today have very tight cash flow and phone calls and letters from a collection agency may not give the debtor enough incentive to make payments to your company first.
Florida Collection Attorney Gebeloff
When you engage a debt collection law firm instead of utilizing commercial collection agencies, you know put the power of the imminent threat of legal action behind your demand for payment on the past due account. It is true that the cash flow of a business presented to a collection agency when they are attempting to collect a debt will be the same as presented to the debt collection law firm but, once a debtor is served with a summons and complaint from a collection attorney, the timetables for payment change.
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In our next blog post we will discuss what some of the scenarios your company may expect from a debtor after being served with a debt collection lawsuit. A debt collection lawyer backed by a commercial debt collection law firm can provide several different debt collection strategies for your company to consider. We will make clear why using a commercial debt collection law firm over a commercial collection agency may be the better alternative for your company when implementing a debt collection strategy.
In previous articles, we have been discussing why collection agencies may not be the best alternative when your company is trying to collect an account receivable. A collection agency is not licensed to practice law and cannot give your company legal advice about debt collection in Florida. Many Florida collection agencies retain our Florida debt collection law firm once traditional collection practices employed by a Florida collection agency have been exhausted.
A Florida Collection Agency Cannot Practice Law
There are basic steps every Collection Attorney should undertake when representing a judgment creditor in order to assess the likelihood of recovering from a judgment debtor. In addition, a Florida Attorney undertaking to collect on a Judgment should be versed in the various rights and remedies that are available to Judgment creditors afforded by Florida Law, that when used correctly, may lead to recovery of money towards satisfaction of the Judgment.
Below are steps that a collection attorney should perform when analyzing a collection matter and making an assessment as to the viability of collection:
Speak to the creditor client to determine if the client has any knowledge if the Judgment debtors may be associated with any business entities and officers, directors, partners, members. This information is useful as Florida law permits a charging lien to be issued and served on an entity against a Judgment debtor’s interest in an entity.
Perform their own search of the Florida Department of State Division of Corporations to see if the Judgment debtor is listed as an officer or managing member or partner in any business.
Use public record search programs made available to collection attorneys such as Accurint or Lexisnexis to get a broad profile on the debtor including, but not limited to, addresses the debtor has lived at, corporations the debtor was and/or is an officer, properties that are and/or were owned by the debtor, automobiles that were and/or are owned by the debtor.
Try and ascertain a place of employment
Ask the client about their knowledge of what assets the debtor may own that may satisfy the judgment, including, but not limited to household furnishings, automobiles, jewelry and/or other personal property of value
Ask the client if they have copies of any checks from the debtor or know where the debtor does bank to possibly attempt garnishment.
Ascertain if a Judgment Lien was recorded with the Division of Corporations. If not advise the Client of the effect of filing a Judgment Lien and discuss whether it would be prudent to file a Judgment Lien even if it is decided by the client they do not want to spend any more time or money pursuing collection of the Judgment.
Florida Debt Collection Agency
Florida Collection Agencies Hire Our Collection Law Firm
Once an analysis of the information is obtained from the non-inclusive list above, a discussion with the client should be undertaken explaining possible costs involved, strategies that can be put in place to attempt collection and a reasonable timeline provided as to how post judgment collection proceedings may play out depending on how a debtor may or may not respond to post judgment collection efforts.
Once it is decided that the client wishes to proceed with collection efforts below are several, non-inclusive steps, that an attorney may utilize to attempt collection
Writ of Execution
Writ of Garnishment
Pursuant to Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.560 obtain Post Judgment Discovery in Aid of Execution, including, a Fact Information Sheet directed to the debtor ( Pursuant to Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.977), and/or any other form of discovery including request for documents, interrogatories and/or depositions of the debtor or third parties.
Commence proceedings supplementary pursuant to Florida Statutes Section 56.29
Feel free to contact our Florida debt collection law firm. We will discuss how we differ from Florida collection agencies. A Florida collection agency can only provide limited debt collection services in Florida.
