I don't have much sympathy for those people getting debt collection calls. They should pay their damn bills and stop leeching off society. If they can run their credit card up, they can certain run it back down.

Well Eric...with your generous, warm heart, you sound just like a debt collector! Or maybe a banker

What a silly comment - over 70% of bankruptcies are due to a medical procedure, death, or other such emergency. How much debt is due to crises like these? Maybe you shouldn't be so judgmental. (I have 0 debt, and I can understand)

Sometimes, people can't pay their "damn bills" because serious life circumstances prevent them from doing so. It must be so hard to be as perfect as you are.

As for the debt collectors, it must be difficult for them to look in the mirror every morning and realize, 1) how stupid and meaningless their "life's calling" truly is, and 2) how much they suck in general. I've encountered some nasty ones who are obviously miserable with themselves...and they've found the perfect venue to take it out on others (and get paid for it, too). Just remember...money can't buy happiness.

Because the prevailing administration mindset is that if you're in debt and collections it's your fault and you deserve whatever you get, the collectors literally do whatever they want, knowing that there's no downside. About 7 years ago, I had an employee who was in collection due to student load default. It apparently goes to a new collection company every year or so, and they start by harrassing me. This USED to be his work number -- 7 years ago! I've had some of them threaten me -- apparently thinking that I am him. I finally added recording to the telephone and, whenever one calls, I advise them that I am recording the call. That has helped, but still has not eliminated the problem.

I agree with the commenters who comment that there are those of us who cannot pay our debts as we would like due to unavoidable circumstances like losing a job because they were out too sick from work because they had food poisoning and had to have emergency surgery several months after to 'save their damn life'. And, not being able to find another PERMANENT job, but only temporary ones or going for weeks with no job, no pay and getting behind in all their bills. Someone who is middle aged with NO parents or other relatives to come to their rescue, but friends who help them out whenever they can. THANK GOD FOR ALL OF YOU PERFECT NEVER HAD A CRISIS IN YOUR LIFE PEOPLE - I guess the rest of us need to just DIE!

When the issue in America is how can I collect more money from neighbor, then we are on the path
to self destruction. If we can compare ourselves to any other industrialized nation we would no longer be proud to be Americans...
In categories once embellished by our country as being the greatest we can no longer attest to that.
ARe we sure we're not on the path to becoming a third world nation.

Eric,

It'll be interesting when you discover you're a victim of identity theft; the likelyhood of which grows every day. Or, when cancer strikes you at 45 and inhilates your sense of securtity as the costs swallow your lifelong savings in mere months.

Then, after shaking off the shock, grief, weariness and realization of the damage you've been dealt, the vultures descend. They will descend to eat you alive. Those medical debts that you can't make will soar to interest rates upwards of 30%, calls come everyday, all day. The vulures on the other end will take delight in humiliating you. They will expect you to pay those hospital bills before you feed your family. They will call all your neighbors inquiring about you. They will exhude the same kind of arrogance you do in your post.

...and that's the tip of the iceberg as far as your life's disintegration process goes. I would hope that you try and muster a little empathy. We all may be seeking a little understanding ourselves someday.

--Robert

let me tell you -- after working hard for 20 years and being underpaid and struggling at times to save, then running up some debt, I got injured on the job. Then I lost my job and 4 years later, my back, hips, tailbone are always in pain and working fulltime is difficult. Now, I pay for health insurance myself and self-employment taxes because partially-disabled beggers can't be choosers and I have gotten behind. Though healthcare costs are at least double if not triple the costs of my friends' health insurance costs, who have employee-paid benefits, my "benefits" are lousy. I am getting medical bills in left and right from 2 doctor visits last year and my monthly prescription costs are almost $400. You can see how easy it is to get behind, especially if you have stumbled in the past, before you became unemployed. And as soon as credit card companies even smell that you can not pay, that is when the phone calls come -- about 8-9 times a day - from 8:00 am -9:00pm, weekends included. And, interests rate go up to the 30% Default Rate. Late fees are $39 now. It's not just for losers and deadbeats. I'm there now too. It's not unfathonable. Kudos for excellent financial planning. And, I mean, you have to plan meticulously -- just in case.

Oh, and by the way -- when an apt. corporation, didn't rent the apt to the person that you showed the apartment to as you were packing, but instead held it for 1-1/2 months and then sends you the bill upon move-out. Is that fair? Is that within my control? Then, this corporation based in TX, which has VERY lax consumer lawsand turns it over to a Collection Agency within 10 days of mailing the bill and the Collection Agency reports to the credit agencies that you did not pay the debt + their fees + "interest", but in fact, the apartment corporation was paid, and I have proof, BEFORE it was reported -- is that fair? It all adds to the mess and bullying prompts collection calls, fair or not. So have a little more heart Eric. Where is the example when the gov't doesn't pay its bills, yet I pay my taxes -- ALL of them, and get few deductions because I don't qualify to own a home?

Excuse this generous Democrat (by the way) for suggesting personal fiscal responsibility! I didn't realize everyone out there had shoddy medical insurance that refuses to pay for 'life threatening illness'. That is more reason to elect a Democrat to office in '08, I guess.

I will retract my comments as they relate to those who suffer a catastrophic illness. It seems I have created a fire storm that I did not intend to create. I apologize.

I'll only say one thing....you're not in debt and being hounded by collectors, call me when you are, for the odds are something will happen to you too, sooner or later, and then tell us "in debtors" what deadbeats we are. Enjoy your "normal" life while you can, and appreciate it, for there will come a day when "normal" will change for you, and my bet is you won't have the stomach for enduring it.

Thank you Eric for your maturity. Over 50% of personal bankruptcies are due to the consequences of unexpected medical expenses. If your job provides your insurance and you get hurt and can't work...

The federal government needs to provide medical insurance for all, that is the least they can do for us with the taxes we pay.

Congress has great health insurance on our tax money. What about us?

I have personal experience with two family members, and two friends, who all managed to get themselves into debt when it was totally avoidable. I ended up suffering as a result trying to help them out of it as best I could. So that is why my original comments were so pointed. I didn't realize there could be valid medical reasons for someone falling deep into debt. I just assumed that would be the exception, rather than the rule. I am really surprised standard medical coverage doesn't cover life threatening illness.

While I can empathize for those in debt due to unforseen medical bills, I urge you to reconsider the position that government needs to provide healthcare. Rather, a repeal of the post WWII era tax break for major corporations needs to be revisited. If we are truly a free-market, then we need to act like one. When costs are regulated by insurance companies, the sky is the limit. When cost is dictated by the "people", pricing will come down so fast, heads will spin. Do you really the same people in charge of Walter Reed running your healthcare?

All debts sent to collection are NOT legitimate.

I had to do battle with a doctor's office for over a year because of an incorrect billing code reported by the doctor that caused my insurance to reject a claim.

Brandi!
A valid reason for falling into debt, try being the victim in a car accident and being badly injured. Sure their insurance will pay, after you have finished all of your medical treatment, paid all of your co-pays out of pocket, missed over three months worth of work, lost a 20, 000 re-enlistment bonus because your injuries kept your from re-upping your contract in the reserves, lost all of your college benefits because now your out of the reserves, still had to pay for daycare because your husband still has to work and you can't even take care of your kids, oh yeah and doctors want payment in fullif they are to continue treating you. Let's see did I forget prescriptions, and the fact that since my car which was paid in full was totaled, I have a higher car note. I guess I do deserve to have debt collecters call and threaten me, tell me they hear my children in the background and that someone as irresponsible as me should not have reproduced or my favorite, that I can't manage money and that they will hound me day and night until I pay them.
Gee, just a few more operations, a few more months of physical therapy and then I can settle and pay my debt that my sorry self caused by being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Of course people have valid reasons for being in debt. How could you have been so blind and oblivious? You actually sounded smarter than that.

This is for the "Pay your damn bills" people. I've had two run ins with debt collection agencies. One was approx six months ago. I had received a letter in the mail and don't recall the exact wording, but do remember it was a threat and included an 800 number to call immediately. A young man answered the phone and I asked what the nasty letter was for. It seems as though someone (with same name as mine) had skipped out on a health club in St Louis and owed them money. I explained that I was 58, and lived 65 miles south of St Louis, and that I don't believe I'd drive 65 miles, at my age, just to frequent a health club and participate in the activities. I also asked if there was a SSN with the collection paperwork. There was not. For you collection guru's, I want to know how they decided to send this to me? Did they just cover their eyes and point their finger to my name and address from a list? My button had been pushed, but the young man was easy to work with. He agreed there wasn't enough information to work with and let me go.

My other bad experience came 19 years ago when I bought a waterbed set. The store advertised six months same as cash. I had plenty of cash setting in the bank, but opted to take advantage of the offer and let my money draw a little interest. The offer was financed by ITT Financial (remember this). As time for repayment of the money drew near, I paid off the waterbed set at the waterbed store. A few months later, I received a call and the caller immediately started with threats of ruining my credit and demanded payment. I was hot!! I replied by telling the guy that the set was paid for and if he jacked with my credit, I'd have him standing in a soup line....and hung up. Then, drove to the waterbed store, who knew I had paid for the goods. A few days later, the waterbed store called and advised me that the money I had paid, had been deposited in an account of someone with the same last name as mine, in Muscatine, IA....and the problem was taken care of. A few more months roll along and I get a letter from ITT Financial....wanting me to borrow money. I used that opportunity to write them a letter (pre-internet)and explain what had happened, the guy's name that called, and that I would never borrow a nickel from them. I hope the caller making the threats to me is still standing in a soup line somewhere.....where it's cold.

You know what gets me? You sign a credit card agreement with a company at a specific interest rate. They raise your limit, treat you like a great customer, and then one day they send you a nice letter saying, "Hey, you know what? You are up to all your limits so you're now over-extended. Because of that, we're raising your interest rate from the 6.9% to 28%. And, the interest now charged to your account put you $100 over your limit, so we're going to tack on another $39.00 over the limit fee! Thanks for being our customer!"

And don't think for a second that the credit card companies weren't behind the change in the bankruptcy laws too! And I loved the response from Jacqueline and ditto it. "THANK GOD FOR ALL OF YOU PERFECT NEVER HAD A CRISIS IN YOUR LIFE PEOPLE - I guess the rest of us need to just DIE!" Having gone from a disabling auto accident to a rehabilated, thriving, tax paying citizen again, I can really empathize with people who have life events that prevent them from paying their bills. No one deserves to be treated like the collector's treat consumers.