Anyone ever hire a lawyer to help pay old debts?
I am looking for advice on how to pay some old debts. I had a period of unemployment and fell way behind in paying bills. Some of the credit card accounts went into collections. They have been sold to so many different collection agencies that I can't track them down. Every time I have tried to call them to find out where the account is, I am given a lot of different numbers to call and the debt collectors I have spoken to are less than helpful in giving me an answer as to where the account actually is. The other part of this is I have been enrolled in a credit counseling service and I'm not sure if it is helping me. A couple of the accounts that went to collections are still showing delinquent on my credit report even though payments have been going to the credit card companies that the debt originated with. I don't know who can help me find my debts or get the money back that I have payed to the credit card company, but I'm considering hiring a lawyer. Anyone in a similar situation? Thanks for the advice, just a few more details... It's not that i can't pay the old debts, I can't find them! The debts have been bought and sold so many times that they are lost. The money I am paying through the credit counseling services doesn't seem to be going to the right place either. I am trying to take a proactive approach and trying to find the right kind of professional to help me find my old debts so I can make sure the money I am paying is going to the right people.
Public Comments
- I don't know if hiring a lawyer is best for this. How are you going to pay the lawyer if you can't pay your past bills? That credit counsling thing is best. ask them how you can consolidate your bills. Also it takes a while for that stuff to get off your credit report after you pay it, don't expect it to be gone the next day or week.
- You defiantly need a Professional to help you.Try calling a Financial Planner telling them what's going on and then simply Consolidate all your bills until you can just pay all at once and be though with the headache.They can help locate all the debts and recover anything coming back to you. You can get an Lawyer instead but he will do what you can do yourself.Good Luck.
- If you do hire a lawyer, you will want one who specializes in credit repair. There are not many lawyers who have specialized in credit and know how to help you. You want someone who is experienced with credit and not all credit counseling services are the same. There are good experienced people in every profession as well as bad. You may find helpful information at www.genesiscreditgroup.com. They know what they are doing. Hope you find someone to help you.
- We were in a similar situation as you. We were giving over $800 to Debt Free America, and then another almost $100 for their lawyer stuff...and after 4 months, they still didn't get an agreement. I am now in the process of filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy. I swore I never would, but the weight off my shoulders has been unbelievable. Chapter 7 is the total liquidation. Chapter 13 has less of a hit on your credit and doesn't affect it for as long and you pay like cents on the dollar. I would definitely enlist the help of a lawyer...but I'm sure one of the first things they will tell you is to drop the credit counseling service. They are doing more bad than good.
* Some answers may have been provided by Yahoo! Answers.