Suggestion for Avoiding Calls

[bkinparadise]

what does wait out the SOL mean?

Statute of Limitation

or


Sh!t outta Luck

[Fallonedward]

Why would you do that? You will pay taxes on any settlements. If your not going to file BK, why not wait out the SOL? Just be proactive were you park your cash.

what does wait out the SOL mean?

[Fallonedward]

You both have very valid points.

With Google Voice, you can direct debt collection calls to a special voice message with your name and so forth, and their voice mail will be transcribed into an email so you can read what they said without even having to listen to them, or just delete it.

Also with Google Voice, you can have debt collector calls sent directly to the phone number of your choice, such as a pay as you go cell phone with your voice mail message on the pay as you go cell phone.

The nice thing about Google Voice is you have one main number that everyone can call, and then the calls are sorted to go wherever you want them to go.

I just got it (for free) and I love it already.

I don't get calls from collectors anymore, but I do get those pesky telemarketer calls, and now they all go to voice mail, and I never hear them.

How do you go about getting google voice? thanks

[hooferator]

IMO, it's best to have a number that is stable, that can be given to collectors, that a message can be left. Whether google voice, voice mail, answering machine, anything. Just leave them a number so they can "contact" you. Make sure you leave your name on the answering message!

You never have to answer or respond.

A TracFone does in fact come with a phone number that can be given to collectors, and they have voicemail and Caller ID. The creditor has no way of knowing what kind of phone plan you have.

I'd look into Google Voice like you mentioned, GoingDown, except if they require a forwarding number I may as well just stick with the TracFone.

[lovemybugs10]

I'm not freaking out- (although because of my questions- I can see where it sounds like I am. ) I'm just over my head in trying to understand it. Trying to figure out if it would be best to file or settle with them individually. Thanks though.


We haven't used these cards in at least 3 years, and haven't paid them in 1.

If I could get each of them to settle for 1/2 of the balance it would leave them writing off 20k. I don't know how much of that would be interest.

Discover filed in March but has not moved forward at all. No more paper work or anything. I'm guessing they saw the foreclosure on file and decided to wait? I'm not really sure- but it's giving me the time I need to figure out what I want/need to do. If I let discover finish the suit, I will be paying them 725 spaced over 17 checks. I have a feeling after that the other creditors would sue me.

One more thing- My name isn't on any of this. The cc debt, it's on the deed to the house but not the loan. I know with the house they are added me when they filed against my husband- but not with the cc's.

If he were to file- could just he file and not me?

[jacko]

You need to stop freaking out and learn your rights as a debtor. You need to be pro active like learning how to protect your cash and know your exemptions that will minimize garnishments.

I am in way over my head with understanding most of this.

[flyinbroke]

Discover has already started filing against me. They will garnish wages if they go further with the lawsuit...then they will be paid 100%, correct?

And then some. You will wind up with attorney fees, court costs and everything else they can throw at you.

Then the other vultures will come out of the woodwork and sue me too. Right?

Maybe. Garnishment only takes a certain percentage. Creditors who sue don't get another percentage on top. Usually garnishment is 25 percent....that is all that will be taken out. If that is already going to Discover, the others will have to wait in line.

Will the increased amount in taxes match the thousands I will save by settling?

Depends. It is my understanding that the taxable amount is only supposed to be principal (not interest or fees or anything else), which would be your monetary benefit for using the card. If you have not used your cards in years, this could be a benefit. If you used them recently, be prepared to count all that principal as income. There are more than a few folks out there who settled and wound up with an extra 20-30K in "income" come tax time. Be careful here.

[lovemybugs10]

I am in way over my head with understanding most of this.

[lovemybugs10]

Discover has already started filing against me. They will garnish wages if they go further with the lawsuit...then they will be paid 100%, correct? Then the other vultures will come out of the woodwork and sue me too. Right?

Will the increased amount in taxes match the thousands I will save by settling?

[jacko]

Why would you do that? You will pay taxes on any settlements. If your not going to file BK, why not wait out the SOL? Just be proactive were you park your cash.

As it is right now- I only have one creditor that has found me after a move.

BUT- rather than filing, I think I'm going to try to settle with each one. (we owe 20k to citi, 10k to each boa and discover) House foreclosed on...I'm guessing they will come after us for the difference at some point- we'll see what happens with that.

So while i'm doing this, I'm going to set up a pay as you go phone that I can talk to them on (my husband hates the calling- it doesn't bother me. I just turned the ringer off (before we moved) and cleared the answering machine.) and am getting a po box to try to hide my home number.


I guess they didn't bother me because it's not like they are going to come take my first born or anything. It's kind of hard to get under my skin with threats. It just makes me not take your calls.


Oh- and I think if they have a valid number for you they can only call your work place once a week and can not call family and friends. They can only do that if they can't find you. Having a prepaid plan with your name on the machine takes care of that.....

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong...

[jacko]

Actually I did the opposite. I purchased a skype number to give out to family and friends to use. I only use my land line to call out and have the ringer off. So peaceful.

I gave all my family a Skype number to give out if someone were to call them. Everything we do that is not personal gets the Skype #. When I call anywhere that could even be remotely affiliated with a creditor I would use the Skype #. Our personal phone # is not even in our name. Its something im going to keep doing forever. its ends up being about 60$/year. Google voice does this too but they require a forwarding # and skype does not. Im afraid that some sneaky creditor will figure out how get the forwarding # and then start harassing me. Our skype # is also about 2 area codes over from where we live and that throws them for a whirl a little too.

[Silver26]

I gave all my family a Skype number to give out if someone were to call them. Everything we do that is not personal gets the Skype #. When I call anywhere that could even be remotely affiliated with a creditor I would use the Skype #. Our personal phone # is not even in our name. Its something im going to keep doing forever. its ends up being about 60$/year. Google voice does this too but they require a forwarding # and skype does not. Im afraid that some sneaky creditor will figure out how get the forwarding # and then start harassing me. Our skype # is also about 2 area codes over from where we live and that throws them for a whirl a little too.

[GoingDown]

You both have very valid points.

With Google Voice, you can direct debt collection calls to a special voice message with your name and so forth, and their voice mail will be transcribed into an email so you can read what they said without even having to listen to them, or just delete it.

Also with Google Voice, you can have debt collector calls sent directly to the phone number of your choice, such as a pay as you go cell phone with your voice mail message on the pay as you go cell phone.

The nice thing about Google Voice is you have one main number that everyone can call, and then the calls are sorted to go wherever you want them to go.

I just got it (for free) and I love it already.

I don't get calls from collectors anymore, but I do get those pesky telemarketer calls, and now they all go to voice mail, and I never hear them.

[lovemybugs10]

As it is right now- I only have one creditor that has found me after a move.

BUT- rather than filing, I think I'm going to try to settle with each one. (we owe 20k to citi, 10k to each boa and discover) House foreclosed on...I'm guessing they will come after us for the difference at some point- we'll see what happens with that.

So while i'm doing this, I'm going to set up a pay as you go phone that I can talk to them on (my husband hates the calling- it doesn't bother me. I just turned the ringer off (before we moved) and cleared the answering machine.) and am getting a po box to try to hide my home number.


I guess they didn't bother me because it's not like they are going to come take my first born or anything. It's kind of hard to get under my skin with threats. It just makes me not take your calls.


Oh- and I think if they have a valid number for you they can only call your work place once a week and can not call family and friends. They can only do that if they can't find you. Having a prepaid plan with your name on the machine takes care of that.....

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong...

[frogger]

The downside to your plan is that the skip tracers will call everyone to try to find you (unless you c/d them). They can and will call your family, former neighbors, and anyone that may have ever been connected with you in the past.

You would be surprised how many people can be connected to you.

IMO, it's best to have a number that is stable, that can be given to collectors, that a message can be left. Whether google voice, voice mail, answering machine, anything. Just leave them a number so they can "contact" you. Make sure you leave your name on the answering message!

You never have to answer or respond.