Some debt collectors are a lot like alligators. As a bankruptcy attorney, you would not believe some of the stories that I hear from clients in Dalton, Dallas, Cartersville, and Rome, Georgia. I actually had one client tell me that the debt collector said that he was going to come my client’s house and take all of his televisions. When my client told him that he was going to file bankruptcy, the debt collector claimed that their contract barred him from filing bankruptcy (there is no such thing as a contract that bars you from filing for bankruptcy).
1. Debt collectors and alligators give people the creeps. If you watched the video above, I’m sure you noticed how the alligators slither through the water. Most debt collectors give people that same slithery feeling when they call at odd hours demanding full payment immediately in spite of reality.
2. No matter how much food you throw at alligators, it seems like their hunger is never satisfied. Similarly, a debt collector will not stop harassing you until the debt is completely paid.
3. Alligators and debt collectors can attack their prey without warning. Some poor bunny rabbit could be hopping through the woods without any idea that they are about to become the alligators next meal. Like alligators, debt collectors feed off their prey.
The collection lawsuit can seem like it has come out of nowhere. In Georgia, you have 30 days to respond to the lawsuit. Some people will make the mistake of ignoring the lawsuit. Ignoring a lawsuit is about as wise as ignoring an alligator in a swamp that is trying to sneak up on you. Once a debt collector gets a judgment against you, they can seize all of the money in your checking account. Also, they can garnish your paycheck and put a lien on your house.
The good news is that Chapter 13 and Chapter 7 bankruptcy stops all debt collection efforts against you. Once you have a bankruptcy case number, all collection calls, lawsuits, and harassing letters must stop.
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3. How much does it cost to file?