Are creditors calling you every hour of the night? Are debt collectors harassing you and threatening to sue you? Have family members informed you that debt collectors are calling them about your debt?
These types of harassing debt collectors are performing illegal conduct. Many creditors think that they can get away with doing this. Many of these debt collectors will assume that you dont want the hassle of dealing with them and will just settle or pay them to stop harassing you. 
Don’t give in! Our lawyers can help you fight these calls and get you damages for this type of illegal debt collection activity.
Stopping Debt Collectors
Stopping a debt collector on your own is never an easy task. Most debt collection agencies assume they can take advantage of people who are in unfortunate circumstances. If you have a lot of credit card debt, a low credit score, and aren’t sure where to turn, our lawyers can help you fix your credit.
Filing for bankruptcy may be a good first step to get out of debt and start over. When you meet with one of our lawyers, we will encourage you to pull a current credit report. We will review your credit report and finances closely to determine if bankruptcy is a good option for you. When you file for bankruptcy, an automatic stay initiates. The Automatic Stay prevents creditors from collecting against you. The automatic Stay begins as soon as a bankruptcy petition is filed with the court. Any creditors trying to collect against you after the automatic stay is filed can be heavily punished.
When you file bankruptcy, you receive a bankruptcy “discharge.” The discharge will show that you owe $0. Your credit report will also show no late payments after filing bankruptcy.
There are ways you can begin rebuilding your credit after filing bankruptcy. One way is by signing a reaffirmation agreement. A reaffirmation agreement, allows you to continue making mortgage payments or car payments. When this agreement is signed, your payments get reported to your credit report, helping you increase your credit score.
Debt Negotiation
Settling your credit card debt can be another way to get these harassing debt collectors away from you. Keep in mind that when you settle your debt, you will get a 1099 form from the IRS. Any money settled for more than $600 is counted as taxable income.
Individuals often don’t understand how to read a credit report. If your credit report has a debt listed as a “Charge-Off” this does not mean that you no longer owe the debt. Rather, it means that the original creditor has sold your debt to a debt collection company. A debt collection company will then try to collect the debt from you.
Settling your debt with a debt collector can be more favorable. These debt collectors buy the debt for pennies on the dollar. In exchange, they try to collect the full amount of debt from you. Using a debt lawyer to help you settle your debts can lead to favorable settlements.
Often, individuals try to do debt negotiation or debt settlement before doing bankruptcy. Individuals read online that filing bankruptcy should only be done as a “last resort.” This is not always the case. Every individual should look into doing some sort of pre-bankruptcy counseling first. Numerous individuals enter into debt settlement plans who shouldn’t be in them.
Wasting time in a debt settlement plan can be a huge waste of money. Individuals who qualify for bankruptcy should consider it before entering into any debt negotiation plan. In Chapter 7 bankruptcy, you can get a fresh start. In a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you pay your debt over 3-5 years. A Chapter 13 bankruptcy, can help you by paying off your debt because interests and fees stop accruing once the Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition is filed. In many cases, individuals who file chapter 13 only pay a portion of their debt. Any portion of your debt that is not paid in the plan is forgiven.
Often, individuals who enter debt settlement plans risk losing money and being sued by the collection agencies. Many debt settlement companies misrepresent the debt settlement process to people. When you enter into a debt settlement program, the company will have you make a monthly payment into an escrow account. Any money put into the escrow account will then be paid to settle your debts. When individuals have lots of debt, it can take months for their escrow account to build up. This can lead you vulnerable to lawsuits and wage garnishments against creditors.
Moreover, debt settlement companies charge high fees each month. There have been numerous times that individuals have come to us to file bankruptcy after wasting a lot of money paying into these debt settlement companies. To ensure this doesn’t happen to you, speak with a bankruptcy lawyer first.
Bankruptcy lawyers give free consultations. Meeting with one or speaking to one only requires a little time. You can get a lot of good information by speaking with a bankruptcy lawyer.
Credit Repair
Karra L. Kingston Esq. has been helping individuals who are struggling with debt for many years. We help clients review their credit scores and improve it. We understand that credit scores can drop instantly due to financial hardships. Our lawyers will go through your finances and determine a good solution to get you back on track. To learn how we can help contact our Staten Island law firm and New Jersey law firm.
Helping Consumers Rebuild Credit Scores & Move Forward
Our lawyers help you improve your credit score. We can provide you options such as payment plans or bankruptcy to get you back on the right financial path. If you have inaccuracies reported on your credit report, we can take a look, and send a letter to the credit bureaus disputing your credit report.
We have negotiated with tons of debt collection firms. You can find a list of debt collection firms we have settled debts with. We ensure that once a settlement is reached, any stipulations will be in writing. Often, individuals who settle debts on their own will settle with companies who only will promise verbally to clear the debt. Our lawyers ensure that any agreements are written down for your protection.
If you have tried to call up the debt collection agencies on your own, and they refuse to settle with you it is because they know you don’t know the law or how the process works. Having a lawyer settle debt for you is oftentimes much more successful. Lawyers who negotiate debts are often able to come up with legal arguments that debt collection agencies back down from.
Our lawyers will work with you hand in hand to fix your financial problems. We will help you do the right things to immediately begin improving your credit score so
that you can get back on the right financial path. We will help you obtain new credit cards, loans and other types of credit. Credit repair requires attention to close detail.
Our Staten Island attorneys and New Jersey attorneys will work closely with you to ensure that you repair your credit score as quickly as possible. Call us today for a free initial consultation by calling 973-979-9078.