At Kingcade Garcia McMaken, we know that plenty of law-abiding Florida residents are the targets of ruthless– and sometimes illegal– harangues on the part of people to whom they owe money. There are even professional debt collection companies that make a sport and a business of hassling our neighbors.
While we do not begrudge anyone a living, even debt collectors, there are certain times when enough is enough– and some companies go too far. If you have ever been contacted by debt collection agencies, then you know that the first call is often ominous, followed by communications that occasionally devolve into little more than threats. You might even see creditor harassment begin all over again if you regain debt after a bankruptcy. Overall, we find that the best way to scare these harassers away is to arm yourself with as much knowledge as possible.
Another way to potentially mute your creditors is to concentrate on organizing and prioritizing your liabilities based on the types of debt you carry. This requires quite a bit of work, but it could simplify your situation and alleviate some of your stress. FindLaw has a useful FAQ on Chapter 13 and Chapter 7 bankruptcy that includes a system of prioritizing your debt. The authors offer the information in the context of preparing for Chapter 7 liquidation, but we find that many of the ideas are generally useful.
We would also like to underline the fact that FindLaw acknowledges the lack of any one universally applicable method of debt prioritization. There is also no guarantee that creditors would stop once you know more about your debts, but you are at least likely to be better equipped to endure their advances. To learn more, please continue reading on our legal site.
