Whether you are a company dealing with business to business collections, or you simply are trying to recover debt from one customer who bounced a check, a reputable agency can help you with this battle. There are hundreds of collection agencies out there, so doing a little research can go a long way.

Time Is of the Essence

Successful debt collection begins with immediate action. It is never a good idea to wait more than 90 days to begin trying to recover debt on past-due accounts. This is where a good collection agency comes into play.

The agency will immediately begin communications with your debtor through phone calls and mailed letters. If they are unable to connect with your debtor after several attempts, they may refer your case to a collections attorney. The collections attorney will almost always be able to collect from your debtor, as most people fear legal action. Once the debt is recovered, the only thing left to do is pay the agency the fee that was agreed upon at the date of hire.

Understanding Collection Agency Rates

If you are a business owner trying to collect on past-due accounts, a reputable collection agency can often help. However, it would be wise to conduct a little research before selecting one. Collection agency rates vary, sometimes significantly.

In general, the longer a debt has remained past-due, the harder it is to collect it. Therefore, the fee you pay out to the debt collection agency will be higher.

How Much Did You Say?

It is plausible that collection agency rates can reach as high as 50 percent. One agency might charge 35 percent for accounts 90 days past due, while another will charge 50 percent to work on an account with the same status. Fees also vary according to the amount owed, length of time overdue, as well as previous handling by another agency.
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