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As a creditor it can be difficult to know when it is the right time to turn an account over to collections. Even though your collections efforts may not be coming to fruition, you may have several reasons for not wanting to turn an account over to a collections agent right away. You may not want to spend the extra money on outside collections, or you may simply want to have faith that your clients will eventually pay the debt you are owed. However, at some point you have to face reality and know that a collections agent is required.
But how do you know when the time is ripe to turn over an account to a collections agent? There are several key factors that can help you determine this. First, consider the response you have had from your client. If your client has completely ignored all contact regarding the matter for several months, you need to enlist the aid of a collections agent.
Another thing to consider is how much time your company is spending trying to collect the debt. Time is money. It may be more cost effective in the long run to hire someone to collect the debt for you.
Finally, there are many times during the year that is the best time to turn an account over to collections, because there is a possibility of an influx of money. If your client is a student, there is a good chance that they receive loans and other funds around the end of December and the end of August. These are good times to try to collect on the debt.
Another great time for anyone to collect on a debt is during tax season. People often begin filing their taxes as early as February if they know they will be receiving a refund. Starting the collections process in February and going on strong through May or June will guarantee that you catch your client with their tax refund in hand. At this point, if they do not pay the debt, you know they have no intentions of doing so.
In the end, any time can be the ripe time to turn an account over to a collections agent. It all depends on your resources and your company’s policies on how long a debt can remain unpaid before you take action. Most certainly any debt more than six months old should be sent to a collections agent. These agents can often have the means to collect on a debt that you yourself cannot obtain.