Question: What can I do on credit card collections? We have a credit card debt from 5 years ago that we paid on until they stopped taking payments. We got a pre- legal notification letter saying they are sending us to an attorney. I want to know what we should do. They will not work with us unless we give them $750 and then $250 a month which we can’t do. I have heard most people don’t go to court but settle out of court. Should we go to court if and when it comes to that since they won’t accept what we can pay? Should we still pay what we can or is that not even beneficial now? I just don’t even know where to start. Any help would be appreciated!
Answer:
Go to court. Follow the instructions on the summons carefully. Do not default.
Are you being sued by the original creditor or a debt buyer?
If it is the original creditor, a settlement may be desirable.
If it is a debt buyer, it is unlikely to be able to prove anything, including ownership of any debt of yours.
In either case, you should consult a lawyer before doing anything like offering money. For example, the statute of limitations in Illinois on credit card debt is five years. Is the claim against you time-barred? Our firm reviews cases of this nature without charge; we will often defend collection cases for a modest fee.