If you are constantly receiving overdue notices in the mail or getting repeated phone calls about late bills, it can be quite tempting to just ignore the problem. At The Law Office of Kim Covington, we understand that dealing with financial problems is stressful for you and other Eugene residents. You may find it easier to avoid the stress by ignoring the mail and phone calls. However, pretending a bill does not exist will not make the problem go away. In fact, it could exacerbate your situation.
Will ignoring the phone calls eventually cause bill collectors to give up and leave you alone? Not at all, states the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The collection calls and letters are likely to continue until you do something about it. You might consider speaking with the debt collector about coming up with a payment arrangement plan you can afford. If you believe the debt is not yours to pay, you will also need to get in contact with the collector, preferably in writing. To stop the calls and notices, you can request in writing that the creditors stop contacting you. However, this will not rid you of the liability to pay.
Ignoring a bill might result in the creditor taking measures to collect, including filing a lawsuit against you or having your wages garnished. Therefore, you can see how it might be in your best interests to try to negotiate an agreement you and the bill collector can be happy with. In some cases, you might need to explore other options to manage your debt, including debt counseling or bankruptcy. You may learn more about the consequences of not paying bills by visiting our page on garnishment.
