How do I pay my debts?

[thomasm]

It doesn't sound like any of the debt collectors have contacted you so I'm a little confused there.

I just meant that I am not receiving bills in the mail nor getting any phone calls about these debts. I only realized I had them after checking my credit report.

[Nutria]

If you have the money to pay the debt, then I don't see what you're confused about. Call whoever you have contact info on, tell them you have an old bill and want to pay it, and pay it.

[thomasm]

If you have the money to pay the debt, then I don't see what you're confused about. Call whoever you have contact info on, tell them you have an old bill and want to pay it, and pay it.

That's what I will do with my student loan debt. But I have two utility bill debts which I believe were a result of an account not canceled (or because they didn't process my cancellation). And two more debts from a creditor whom I'm unfamiliar with. Also, I want to handle this correctly and hopefully have this negativity removed from my report (though I know this may take time). And I don't want to make any mistakes in how I handle this.

[Nutria]

But I have two utility bill debts which I believe were a result of an account not canceled (or because they didn't process my cancellation).

Then you must call the utility. How else can you resolve that?

And two more debts from a creditor whom I'm unfamiliar with.

Then you must call the creditor or call the DC to get their contact.

Also, I want to handle this correctly and hopefully have this negativity removed from my report (though I know this may take time).

You'll need proof that the utility did something wrong. That probably won't be easy.

[Gailete]

Thomas, I would contact the credit agencies themselves, ask them for proof of the debts that you owe that you weren't sure about. If you neglected to have utilities turned off, that is still on you. This agencies probably have been looking for you. Once a debt is with a credit agency it is their debt to collect, not the original debtor. When my husband had some lab work that when he signed for it, his poor vision didn't let him see that it might run ~$1000! I about got a heart attack when the bill came and then I called the company to see if we could get it reduced and arrange for payments. They knocked it down to ~$600 but before a payment arrangement could be made (everyone I talked to had something different to say about it) they sent it to collections. So phooey on them, when I got the first bill from the CA demanding the amount in full I sent them $25, and then sent them $25 each month until one month I had enough money to pay it off in full. If you can pay those amounts in full and do it voluntarily, then you should do so as it will look much better on your report. I know some have the ideas that if you go long enough without paying the bills somehow they end up disappearing. My personal ethics says I pay what I owe no matter how long it takes. I live in PA fairly near you but I don't know the actual PA on bill collectors other than they can only call you at certain points during the day.

For years I got calls about my ex due to the bills he had made after our divorce, including one for a car I had never seen. The collector was actually hassling me as he called three times in a row during supper one night. Finally I gave him any info I could on the guy and told him not to call again as the debts weren't mine and at that point I was married again. Even my son, his step-son, got calls on his cellphone looking for him. I'm not sure that those who are avoiding paying their bills realize what is going on with friends and family and ex-family members as they get hassled as well so a great way to lose friends and make family mad at you. Not saying this is your case, but at times the advice here sounds as if people replying here don't know this happens. I got calls on this man for almost 15 years till they finally stopped! Living with his out of control spending had been bad enough, but having creditors call me for 4 times longer than we had been married was upsetting.

[Jovanny]

UPDATE
(this is an update of my situation)

After pulling my credit report a few days ago, I found that I have 5 outstanding debts. I am hoping people here can help me best understand how I should handle this situation to clear up these issues, pay the debts and move forward with my financial life.

I live just outside pittsburgh, PA. if anyone is familiar with PA debt laws.


Of the 5 debts, the largest is about $1,200 and is for a student loan payment. This is one I am fairly sure is mine and is currently in collections. the "Date opened" is Sept 2014 and it says it has been "reported since" Nov 2014. Should I call the collection agency and pay this debt or is there a better way to handle this?

2 of the; 5 debts are for utility bills from an old apartment. I thought I ended all utilities when i moved out but i have no proof of ending them and I am not sure how much of these charges are costs that i owe or costs that took place after I left the apartment. The same collection agency is handling both of these two debts. One is for $800 and the "date opened" was Aug 2012 and the "reported since" date is Feb 2015. The other one is for $600 and the "date opened" was Aug 2013 and the "reported since" date is Feb 2015. I moved out of this apartment roughly Feb 2012.

the final 2 of 5 are also held by the same collection agency. These also share the same creditor "the world financial bank network". This bank is one i am unfamiliar with and am unsure if these are my debts. One is for $300 and "date opened" is Oct 2012 and "reported since" Dec 2012. The other is for $200 and "date opened" is Dec 2012 and "reported since" March 2013.

None of these groups are currently calling or mailing me any information, nor requesting any payments of any kind. I want to clear up all 5 of these issues, but I don't want to make any mistakes along the way. If anyone can help, I would be very thankful. If you need further details which I did not provide, please ask.

You should clear the utility bills. It is important to have clarity of thought on whether you have paid those bills or not.

[thomasm]

Thomas, I would contact the credit agencies themselves, ask them for proof of the debts that you owe that you weren't sure about.

When you say "credit agencies", do you mean one of the big three (like Experian)?

[Gailete]

When you say "credit agencies", do you mean one of the big three (like Experian)?

Not exactly. You need to find out which credit agencies are holding the different debts and contact them. Experian, et al, as far as I know are only reporting businesses, they don't hold the actual debt. It is individual credit agencies that hold your different bills. Whoever you got your credit report from that showed the bills owing should have a clue of who those agencies are. For instance the credit agency for the lab bill for my husband that got sent to collections was called, I believe, American Collection Agency.

I think it is a fine thing that you want to do to pay them off and you are to be commended. Many I'm sure would tell you to ignore them unless they come hunting you.

But the sooner you contact them the better as the bills are fresher in everyone's mind. I got a call out of the blue once demanding payment for a medical bill and with talking to them, I discovered that it was a bill that hadn't been submitted to my health insurance appropriately and they were responsible for paying it - not my bill. For that the whole thing had been weird as I had NEVER gotten a bill and it had been possible at all times to track me down and send a bill. Anyhow I didn't have to pay it, so that is why it is important to double check that it is a bill you actually owe, like your school loan sounds like a fair bet it is yours, and the utility bills probably. It may take a bit to sort it out and the agencies once you track them down and confirm that you owe the bill may be willing to make a deal on the total. The agencies buy these bills from the companies (which is why at this point you should NEVER try to keep paying the bill to the original company because the credit agency wants paid still even if the total is paid in full to the original biller/company!) for pennies on the dollar at times. So the credit agency may be willing to make a deal that still leaves them in a good profit, ask but don't assume.

Hope this helps.

[Nutria]

You need to find out which credit agencies are holding the different debts and contact them.

I think you mean collection agencies, not credit agencies.

[Gailete]

Yes, you are correct. The are collection agencies.

[clatoden99]

You should check what are your balances on these credit cards and how much interest rate you pay on each of these cards. Then, you should get in touch with this collection agency and come up with a plan to repay this debt. There is always room for negotiation so ask them what is their best offer to get rid of this delinquency on your credit score and be done with this collection.

Come up with a plan, set up proper repayment and be done with this situation as soon as possible!

[PhilDanley]

Hello again Thomas. Have you contacted the collection agencies? Send each of them a letter requesting they prove the debt is yours. They will write back with a current balance. Then you can pay them off as you originally stated your intent was to do this.

Calling them will get you into a conversation about paying in full on the spot and you don't need to waste your time with that. And by requesting proof of the validity of the debts, you will not be restarting the Statute of Limitations clock.