Eastern Shore Creditor Harassment Prevention Lawyers

Many men, women and families face financial issues and serious debt problems in Maryland. But even if you are having financial difficulties, you do not need to put up with constant harassment and bullying by creditors and debt collection agencies.At The Law Firm of Shaw & Crowson, P.A., we completely understand the frustration involved with creditor harassment, especially when accompanied by struggles with debt. If you are tired of being harassed by your creditors,
reach out to our law firm, a federally designated debt relief agency, for a confidential consultation.

YOUR CREDITORS HAVE RIGHTS AND POWERS BUT … YOU HAVE RIGHTS AND POWERS, TOO

You are not at the mercy of your creditors. You can fight back.

Scare Tactics: Collection agencies must follow state and federal laws. If you are being harassed and constantly put under duress or threatened by your creditors or debt collection agencies, there are lawful steps you can take to stop them.
Lawsuits: If you are sued in District Court, especially by a second-hand creditor or a debt collection agency, you may have good defenses to stop a judgment against you and possibly win the lawsuit.
Bank Account Levies and Garnishments: Even if you do not file
bankruptcy, you are entitled to exemptions that can protect at least some of your money — money that you can use to provide the necessities of life for you and your family.

Should You Use Debt Consolidation Companies?

There are trustworthy nonprofit credit counseling agencies that may be able to help you organize your unaffordable monthly credit card payments into one manageable payment. The U.S. Trustee Program provides an approved list at
www.usdoj.gov/ust.

Some other highly advertised services could do you more harm than good. Out-of-state or online debt consolidation companies often avoid Maryland consumer protection regulations. While they may claim to have the power to resolve your financial issues, in most cases, this claim is untrue.

Despite what they may claim, debt consolidation companies have a very limited ability to negotiate on your behalf and eliminate or reduce your debt. Furthermore, any negotiated reduction or elimination of debt may result in a 1099(c) tax form being filed against you with the IRS and could cause a tax liability. This unexpected result can complicate your financial condition even more.

More importantly, your creditors are under no legal obligation to talk to these debt consolidation companies — even though these companies charge you fees at the same time for their “negotiations” with these same creditors. Instead, your creditors can simply ignore the debt consolidation company you are paying, hassle you directly, and eventually take you to court. But debt consolidation companies cannot represent you in court, either.

However, once you are represented by an attorney, your creditors cannot talk to you without your attorney’s permission.

Thorough and Resourceful Legal Representation Whether You Are in Trouble or Want to Stay Out of It

For truly convenient legal services, call 410-742-9171 to speak with our Salisbury creditor harassment lawyers. You may also
contact our law firm online for more information.

We are a federally designated debt relief agency. We provide debt relief under the Bankruptcy Code.