Debt Collection Attorneys in New Hampshire

If your New Hampshire company is not receiving the results that you were promised by your collection agency, it’s time to consider a change. Using a professional debt collection attorney with the Stevens and Ricci firm will make a significant difference to your cash flow. The 72% recovery rate delivered by our firm compares very favorably to the lower average rate of 28% that the standard collection agency offers. We can also recover your commercial debts in a shorter timeframe. In most cases, we can complete the collection process in 30 to 45 days, or even less! If your offices are located near Chester, NH or Wilton, NH, give us a call today to get the ball rolling!

Concord, New Hampshire Collection Attorneys Succeed Where Others Fail

When you contract with the Stevens and Ricci firm for your commercial debt collection needs, you get much more than promises. You will get results! Unlike your collection agency, we never miss a critical opportunity to collect your debt. While a collection agency will stick to phone calls and letters, our business debt attorneys are never stopped by a lack of response. When necessary, we will use our national support network of private investigators and collection attorneys in neighboring states to physically track down your debtor, no matter where they may be. Although the Stevens and Ricci collection method sticks to purely pre-litigation services, just the hint of legal action can make all the difference in the collection process. After all, a conversation with an actual attorney will always carry more weight that a call from a collection agency. By combining the collection and legal functions into one team, the Stevens and Ricci firm never misses a critical opportunity to recover a debt. Don’t miss your opportunity to use a professional debt collection attorney to represent your financial interests in Exeter, NH or Manchester, NH.

Don’t Waste Time in New Hampshire

Depending on the circumstances, you may only have three years to collect your debt in New Hampshire without going to court. Even if you obtain a judgment, this little piece of paper is no guarantee that you’ll ever receive the matching payment. In fact, the collection process can still be a long, frustrating process. Instead of wasting time and increasing your collection problems, allow the Stevens and Ricci to handle these matters for you. Our collection process offers the most efficient and timely recovery system in the collections industry.

Newport, New Hampshire Debt Collection Attorneys vs. Collection Agencies

The Stevens and Ricci firm can save your Portsmouth, New Hampshire business more than time. An experienced debt collection attorney can provide even more benefits when compared to hiring a standard collection agency. When your collection agency is just getting voice mail, our business debt collection lawyers will be meeting directly with the business owners and their agents. When your collection agency is stopped in their tracks by your debtor’s legal team, our commercial debt recovery attorney will be sitting down at the table for the formal negotiation process with the opposing counsel. Read more to discover additional ways that we can help you with your outstanding debts in Chester, NH or Manchester, NH.

Business Sales in Concord, New Hampshire or Exeter, New Hampshire

You might be surprised to know that most collection agencies will automatically designate an account as uncollectible when they’ve been informed of a business sale. However, the business debt collection attorneys at Stevens and Ricci know a little bit more about business sales, mergers, liquidations, and bankruptcies. We can pressure the owner or their representatives to supply a copy of the legal documents that are part of this type of transaction. In many cases, our analysis reveals a reserve allowance or set-aside clause that is specifically included to pay unsecured creditors who hold an open balance during this process.

Forbearance Agreements in Wilton, NH

Some debtors are truly in financial difficulty and would like to pay their debts if they only had the funds. If this appears to be a temporary situation, the debt collection attorneys at Stevens and Ricci can help them out. By drafting a forbearance agreement that prevents the other creditors from filing suit until they can get their financial house in order and begin repaying their debts, many of our clients finally receive payment in full. With this plan, everyone wins. Our client receives their money, the debtor can remain in business, and both parties often continue to do business together for years to come!

The Collections Game is Changing in New Hampshire

Due to the poor economy in New Hampshire and the rest of the nation, the collection industry is seeing more and more extended payment plans compared to payments in full. At Stevens and Ricci, we can turn this crisis into an opportunity. With a properly and aggressively drafted legal agreement, we can not only increase our client’s chances of receiving payments as promised, but add increased default security, too!

While the typical collection agency usually creates an informal payment plan through a set of verbal discussions, the Stevens and Ricci firm never makes this mistake. To give our clients the best chance of recovery on their commercial accounts, we never miss the opportunity to profit by these situations.

As a first step, we will add a Consent Judgment clause to the payment agreement. This allows us to ask for an automatic judgment against your debtor when the first payment is missed. This easy process doesn’t involve filing any additional paperwork, going to trial, or spending any more money. This strategy alone increases our payment percentage by more than 40%.

Next, we ask the principal to sign a Personal Guaranty clause. This assigns the debt to them personally in the even that the corporation fails. In most cases, they will sign in exchange for extended payment terms. By using a little psychology, we can usually convince the debtor to sign this agreement.

Our final method involves adding a 1.5% interest factor to our notes per month. Very rarely do debtors attempt to negotiate a lower rate. This covers virtually all of our fees so that you can often take advantage of the Stevens and Ricci collection method for next to nothing out of pocket.

Minnesota Debt Collections

If the usual Minnesota collection process is just not working out for your company, try the services of a Stevens and Ricci commercial debt recovery attorney instead. Our debt collection attorneys can provide a 72% recovery rate compared to the 28% rate that most collection agencies offer. Instead of waiting for months before you see a dime of your money, our network of commercial debt recovery experts show results in 45 days or less on average. Give our collection lawyers in Minneapolis or St Paul, Minnesota a call to start the collection process today.

Minneapolis, MN Collection Attorneys Succeed Where Collection Agencies Fail

If you’ve often wondered why your usual collection agency can’t provide the results that you expect, the answer is simple. They don’t make the most of the critical opportunities that Stevens and Ricci use. Most of the time, they’ll make a few phone calls before giving up. Our debt collection attorneys go the extra mile to physically locate your debtor for direct negotiations. In addition to commercial debt recovery offices located throughout the country, the Stevens and Ricci collection network includes private investigators. There is no place for anyone to hide once we start the business debt recovery process. Even if your collection agent manages to speak directly to the debtor, it may not make much difference. However, a conversation with an actual attorney carries much more weight and usually provides results. Although we always concentrate on pre-litigation services, your debtor knows that it could proceed further. By combining collection and legal functions, Stevens and Ricci has created the most effective business debt collection system possible. Call our St Paul, MN offices today to use our firm for your next collection problem.

Minnesota Laws are Not on Your Side

In Minnesota, you are allowed to charge up to $30 in service fees for a worthless check, but this hardly reimburses you for your time and inconvenience. You can request a civil penalty that might amount to a fee equal to the amount of the check, but that means at least one trip to court. In most cases, it’s just not worth it. If you’d like to pursue criminal charges, a bounced check of any amount is only a misdemeanor. By using the collection attorneys at the firm of Stevens and Ricci, you’ll never have to worry about receiving a bounced check for an overdue debt. We’ll make sure that the funds are collected in a secure manner before passing the payments to your Accounting department.

The Minnesota Debt Collection Attorney Difference

When you hire the Stevens and Ricci firm as your commercial debt recovery team, it won’t take long to see the difference. If you’ve been using a regular collection agency, you may have become used to the long time needed to see results and the high number of your accounts that have been marked as uncollectible. This will quickly change once you’re using our collection attorneys. Instead of giving up after a few unreturned calls, our business collection attorneys will use their legal knowledge and court authority to force your debtor to appear for questioning. In this legal process, they will be required to disclose their entire financial history and current situation. While your collection agent doesn’t want to deal with your debtor’s lawyer, we welcome this situation. The next few sections further illustrate how our St. Paul collection attorneys can make a difference.

Consent Judgments in Minneapolis, Minnesota

It’s common for a debtor to agree to a short-term payment plan when they can’t pay in full. When this happens, the Stevens and Ricci business collection attorney can frequently strengthen the agreement by adding a consent judgment. Without the need to pay any additional fees or go to court, the creditor can enter for immediate judgment if the debtor misses a single payment. Because the debtor’s banking information is already known, and the consent judgment allows the creditor to seize the account for the total amount due, this is often the best way to guarantee payment. In fact, our creditors are often in a better position with a consent judgment than a secured creditor.

St Paul, MN Forbearance Agreements

If you have a long-term relationship with a customer who’s in true financial trouble, you may be interested in a way to help them stay in business. The Stevens and Ricci firm has a way to make this happen. Our collection lawyers can draft a forbearance agreement that will prevent other creditors from filing suit in order to help your customer restructure their debt load. By helping your customer recover from financial difficulties, all parties win. You can avoid going to court and increase your chances of payment while your customer retains their business. In many cases, this compassionate form of debt collection allows both parties to enjoy a profitable relationship going into the future.

Minnesota Case Study

In the current economic client, our clients are seeing more and more extended payment plans instead of full payments. While this can seem like a risky proposition, the Stevens and Ricci firm views this crisis as an opportunity. We will create an aggressively-drafted payment plan that increases our client’s chances of receiving timely payments and adds additional default security.

Our first step is to add a consent judgment clause to the payment agreement. This allows us to convert a potential default into an automatic judgment against the debtor. This eliminates the need for lawsuits, trials, discovery, lost time, and increased expenses while increasing our payment percentage by more than 40%.

The second strategy is to add a personal guaranty clause if one isn’t already on file. In most cases, the debtor will agree in return for extended payment terms. By using a little psychology and offering something of value, we are usually able to succeed with this strategy.

We also factor a 1.5% monthly interest rate into our notes. The debtors rarely try to negotiate a lower rate, and it practically covers our client’s collection fees. At Stevens and Ricci, we do everything possible to not only collect our client’s debt, but to also minimize their collection expenses.

Arizona Business Debt Recovery

Unlike the standard Arizona collection agency, using the commercial debt collection firm of Stevens & Ricci will bring your organization a high return on your investment. While a typical collection agency in the Phoenix or Tucson area will usually be able to collect about 28% of the debts that you place in their hands, we are able to report a much higher 72% recovery rate. As a bonus, our collection attorneys are usually able to collect within 30 to 45 days to vastly improve your available cash flow. You may be thinking that this must be an expensive service. On the contrary, the Stevens & Ricci commercial debt recovery network will provide better results at a lower total cost. Call us today to get the business debt collection process started for your company.

A Phoenix, AZ Debt Collection Attorney is the Best Option

Specialized debt collection attorneys never miss critical opportunities. Instead of giving up after a series of unreturned phone calls, the collection lawyer utilizes the services of our extensive support network to take advantage of private investigators and collection lawyers in other states. No debtor can hide for long when a staff of professional locators is on the case. Although Stevens & Ricci offers pre-litigation collection services, we find that the debtor is more than willing to negotiate once a business collection attorney presents the available options. By combining collections and legal functions, we never miss an opportunity for business debt recovery. Don’t miss your opportunity to use Stevens & Ricci’s services for your next commercial claim in Phoenix or Tucson, AZ.

Arizona Laws Are Not On Your Side

Arizona has a strict statute of limitations that protects the debtor’s interests. You have up to six years to collect a debt that is documented by a written contract and five years to collect on a judgment. If you don’t successfully collect the money owed to you within those time periods, the payments due will be uncollectible. When you use business collection attorneys for corporate debt collection efforts in Tucson or Phoenix, Arizona, you won’t lose an extra minute of valuable time.

Debt Collection Attorneys vs. Collection Agencies

In addition to saving time, using an experienced debt collection attorney has numerous advantages over hiring a typical collection agency. Not only will an attorney outperform a collection agency every time, they also have the knowledge and authority to use collection strategies that aren’t available to a standard collection agency. While collection agencies usually just get voice mail, a debt collection attorney will gain direct access to owners and their agents. If a debtor obtains legal counsel, a collection agency will usually be forced to cease all collection efforts. In contrast, a debt collection attorney welcomes this situation and will actively seek out the debtor’s attorney. Read through the following sections to learn more about the advantages that come with retaining a corporate debt collection attorney.

Consent Judgments

Debtors will often agree to a short-term payment plan to buy time. When this happens, a debt collection attorney can often convince them to sign a consent judgment. This is a much stronger legal document that allows the creditor to file for an immediate judgment as soon as a payment is missed. There is no need to go to trial with a consent judgment. This not only saves time and court costs, but it also allows the debtor’s bank account to be seized for the total amount due. The banking information is included in the previous paperwork making this a simple process. With a consent judgment, the creditor is in a better position than the secured creditors.

Forbearance Agreements

A troubled company can often be given help to stay in business by a debt collection attorney. By using a forbearance agreement, a win-win situation can be created where the attorney prevents other creditors from filing suit against the debtor and restructures their total debt load. Our client and our attorney are able to help the debtor while escalating the client’s payment position and avoiding a lawsuit. Frequently, the debtor continues to be one of the creditor’s valued customers.

Miscellaneous Strategies

If all else fails, Stevens & Ricci will often use creative methods to collect a corporate debt. We may hire private investigators to research the debtor’s other business partners including vendors, suppliers, and banks. We may examine public records or meet with the local district attorney to prepare for judgment collection. A debtor that has successfully avoided our process server may open their door when that same person appears to be a pizza or package delivery person. In extreme cases, we have created billable time for our client by working with the debtor’s lawyer and using this as a new debt to negotiate a settlement.

Arizona Case Study

A Stevens & Ricci client located near Phoenix, Arizona was in a collection bind after they sold surgical equipment to a local surgery center. When the surgery center closed their doors and disconnected all phone numbers, our client did not know how to proceed. Because the center was a corporation, there was no individual person to go after.

Before contacting our office, the client discovered that the surgery center also a substantial amount to another vendor. They had contacted a collection agency that had declared their debt uncollectible when they couldn’t reach anyone.

When the client contacted our office, our collection attorneys talked to sales representatives from both our client’s company and the other vendor. We discovered that a local hospital administrator was a friend and associate of the former surgery center’s owner. Through this contact, we found both the name and the number of the debtor’s private medical practice.

Our collection attorney was able to convince the debtor to repay our client although they had no legal responsibility to do so. During the conversation, we discovered that they were in the process of reorganizing their business and would soon reopen as a new corporate entity. Because our attorney treated the debtor with respect, they have reestablished their business partnership. This rarely happens when a standard collection agency handles a defaulted account.

1. “Acknowledge the impact of self-pay patients “

this really isn’t so much a tip on collection as it is a reminder to keep in mind that 16% of the US population is uninsured and can account for a significant portion of the problem debt.

2. “Start early”

The researchers suggest that early efforts to control receivables incurred by emergency room visits can have a significant impact on the bottom line. They note that successful healthcare providers utilize best in class “front-end procedures such as patient admittance, charity care classification, and insurance approval” to help reduce receivables risk. this would include partnering with A collection agency that does more than mere collections, but provides intelligent input into the “revenue cycle.”

3. “Use different services for different purposes”

The paper suggests dividing up the collection effort among three different groups. The first group is, in effect, an outsourced accounts receivable department that collects in the name of the healthcare provider. The second group is a contingent fee-based collection agency, that is, the most typical organization that is thought of one one refers to a collection agency. The third group is what the paper terms “debt buyers” which can be investment pools that buy up healthcare receivables and and turn them into investments for their stakeholders.

This is an interesting suggestion that could become a part of a well-planned collection program.

4. “Negotiate based on price, but only to a point”

This tip explains that there has been a bit of a “land rush” by collection agencies into the healthcare receivables segment of the market as the segment continues to experience strong growth in demand for debt collection services. This rush of collection agencies into the market has pushed collection fees down to an average of about 21%.

The researchers invite you to take into consideration the fee being proposed by the collection agency, but not to forget the organization standing behind the fee. What are you buying for that price? Look at experience, whether it has well-trained personnel, whether it uses creative methodologies, et cetera.

Part two of this series of tips will be published tomorrow.

If you write off a debt or receivable as a complete loss, IRS Reg. S1.61-12 requires that the debtor report the charged off debt as income on their tax return. This transformation of a debt into income, on which taxes have to be paid, turns out to be a very effective method of getting a debtor’s attention.

No one wants the IRS to take a closer look at their tax return and IRS Reg. S1.61-12 plays on this fear. You see, in order to ensure compliance with this rule, the IRS requires that you, the business that wrote off the debt, send in a W-9 to tell the IRS about the conversion of the debt into a loss. The IRS will then look to match up the W-9 with the debtor’s tax return and see if the income has been properly reported. You can imagine what happens when the IRS discovers the debtor did not disclose the income.

The only way for the debtor to avoid the IRS scrutiny is to pay the bill. Make that abundantly clear to the delinquent debtor and see how quick the debt gets paid.

How can you start using this powerful collection technique?

I developed a program called, The IRS Advantage, which has proven to be a very effective way to get customers to pay their overdue accounts using IRS Reg. S1.61-12. It comes complete with the following:

• Instructions and guidelines
• Collection letter templates for both corporate and consumer accounts (in MS Word)
• Suggested phone scripts
• IRS Form W-9 with web links
• A pre-formatted template of the IRS 10 day demand letter which can be sent out on your company’s letterhead
• IRS Fax Demand template – 4 pages (fax cover sheet template, IRS collection letter, Form W-9 first page and penalties page)
• Background information with technical addendum to ensure compliance and effectiveness

Using The IRS Advantage is the quickest and easiest way to start using this effective tool of debt collection. Order the program by calling 888-722-1611.

(1) Have a Written Credit Policy.

A written policy educates the customer as to what you expect from them. It Lays out the ground rules for paying on credit and shapes their expectations. Without a written policy there can be a substantial amount of arguing back and forth about when something is supposed to be paid, how much time between the invoice and payment is reasonable, etc. think of a credit policy as a contract (which, actually, it is) between you and the customer laying out each obligation than they have and each responsibility you have.

(2) Invoice Quickly.

As soon as you ship the product, or as soon as you finish the work, send an invoice. Do not delay as this invites a delayed payment. A quick invoice also communicates to your customer that you are serious about getting payment.

(3) Tell the Customer About the Oustanding Balance When they Buy Again.

It is not unusual for a customer who is overdue to make additional purchases on their account in the mean time. PC mag suggests that every time they make a new purchase that you remind them about the outstanding balance. The majority of the time the customer will pay the entire amount due when confronted with a reminder of the past due amount.

(4) Send a Monthly Bill, Regardless of Activity on the Account.

Regardless of the customer’s purchasing activity for the month, send a bill. This will do two things. It will remind the customer that you are, in fact, keeping track of what they are doing, and it also reminds the customer about the overdue amount. The emphasis should always be about open and frequent communication. Accounts become delinquent because they are neglected. When a seller ignores the account, that is when they will run into trouble, That is when the customer will “forget” about the debt or over extend themself and get in trouble.

(5) Send a Collection Letter Quickly.

You want one say customer becomes overdue and immediately send a collection of water. Again, this emphasizes communication and getting the customer’s attention. You can’t let them forget about the amount owed and you must make it seem like this is a very important debt that you need repaid as soon as possible.

The article gives a good sketch, but just a sketch, about how your business should “lend” to you customers. Your best bet is, as always, to work with an experienced debt recovery firm, such as Stevens & Ricci, to help you design a complete accounts receivable program, that includes a debt collection plan.