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North Carolina Collections Questions & Answers
1 Answer | Asked in Collections for North Carolina on
Q: I've been receiving phone calls from someone saying they are a litigation service and claim I owe money. Is it legit?

They say I took out a loan several years ago from Easy Loans for 500 dollars and nothing was paid on the loan. I do not recall taking out this loan. I declared bankruptcy not long after the time frame they say the loan was taken out. I don't know if this is a scam or something I thought was... View More

Lynn Ellen Coleman
Lynn Ellen Coleman
answered on Nov 17, 2024

Continue to ignore them, this is a scam. You can report the calls to the North Carolina Attorney general's office. Block the calls and eventually they should go away. "Litigation service" is your first clue of scam, and claiming you took out a payday loan that you cannot remember... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Collections for North Carolina on
Q: I was sued and lost but the case was filed in a different county than the one i live in is this a valid suit

It was a default judgement for debt collection, the case was filed in iredell county but i live, and the debt was incurred, in craven county. Nor was i informed of the hearing.

Lynn Ellen Coleman
Lynn Ellen Coleman
answered on Oct 22, 2024

You need to get a copy of the court file from Iredell County, including the return of service that shows how you were allegedly served with the Summons and Complaint, and take it to an attorney for review.

The general rule is that debt collection lawsuits must be filed in the...
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2 Answers | Asked in Family Law, Civil Litigation and Collections for North Carolina on
Q: My mother-in-law passed away. She has no estate, no assets. Are my wife and I responsible for her credit card debt?
Lynn Ellen Coleman
Lynn Ellen Coleman
answered on Aug 29, 2024

You are not responsible unless your names were on the credit cards. Her estate is responsible. If she had any .money or property at the time of her death, those would be sold and/or money used to pay her debts. I suggest that letters be sent to her creditors explaining that she passed on xxx date... View More

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2 Answers | Asked in Tax Law and Collections for North Carolina on
Q: Home is under a Contract for Deed from a trust. Seller's name on deed. Can the IRS use this equity for collections?

Good morning. I have a question about filing IRS form 433-f (Collection Information Statement) for the purpose of requesting "Account Not Collectible" status in regards to several unpaid and/or unfiled tax years. In the section asking about home equity - do I need to include my home and... View More

Jeffrey "Anton" Collins
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answered on Jul 23, 2024

I agree with James L. Arrasmith, in part.

It is true that the IRS does not usually attach itself to the title of any asset (like your home) if you are not included on the title. However, if you have enforceable rights of ownership, and those rights bear an equity interest, then the IRS can...
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2 Answers | Asked in Tax Law and Collections for North Carolina on
Q: Home is under a Contract for Deed from a trust. Seller's name on deed. Can the IRS use this equity for collections?

Good morning. I have a question about filing IRS form 433-f (Collection Information Statement) for the purpose of requesting "Account Not Collectible" status in regards to several unpaid and/or unfiled tax years. In the section asking about home equity - do I need to include my home and... View More

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Jul 23, 2024

Good morning. When filling out IRS Form 433-F, you do need to consider the home equity section. However, since you are purchasing your home under a Contract for Deed and the title is still in the seller's name, you technically do not have ownership or accessible equity in the property yet. In... View More

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2 Answers | Asked in Civil Litigation, Bankruptcy and Collections for North Carolina on
Q: Someone in the family was in a fight with another person. That person may sue. What can we do to protect our money?
James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Jun 14, 2024

First, gather all relevant information about the incident. Documentation, such as medical reports, photographs, and witness statements, can be crucial if a lawsuit is filed. Understanding the facts will help you be better prepared for any legal action.

Consider transferring assets to family...
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2 Answers | Asked in Civil Litigation, Bankruptcy and Collections for North Carolina on
Q: Someone in the family was in a fight with another person. That person may sue. What can we do to protect our money?
Tim Akpinar
Tim Akpinar
answered on Jun 10, 2024

A North Carolina attorney could advise best, but you posted a week ago. Product liability (your chosen category) attorneys don't usually get involved in the issues you describe. You'd probably want to speak with attorneys who work with asset protection, collection defense, or bankruptcy,... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Collections for North Carolina on
Q: I received a summons about a credit card debt from a lawfirm that purchased the debt. What do I do next?

The summons was served to me on 4/19/24, the date issued on the summons is 4/12/24. It says I have 30 days to respond from date received. What should I do next?

Barry W. Kaufman
Barry W. Kaufman
answered on May 14, 2024

You have choices. You can do nothing whatsoever. You can call the law firm to try to arrange a payment plan or if possible, pay it in full. You can respond on your own to the summons. You can retain an attorney to respond or to negotiate a settlement or both; or consult with a bankruptcy attorney... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Collections and Legal Malpractice for North Carolina on
Q: Is there a time frame attorneys must start once paid?

I hired an attorney to negotiate two judgments. I paid and signed the contract on 6/6/2023. The lawyer did not contact the first debtor until August 2023. The second debtor was not contacted until November 2023. The attorney always had an excuse as to why they hadn't been working on it. For... View More

Joel Gary Selik
Joel Gary Selik
answered on Feb 3, 2024

There is no set time. Basically, it would be a “reasonable time”. Reasonable depends on the circumstances. Additionally, there may have been work done prior to contacting the debtors.

My experience in collecting debts, is that it is often a slow process. It can, of course, take years,...
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2 Answers | Asked in Collections and Banking for North Carolina on
Q: I went to the State Employee credit union in NC to open an account. I was a former client 18 years ago. I want to open

I went to the State Employee credit union in NC to open an account. I was a former client 18 years ago. I want to open a new account with them but they told me I had a loan that I had to pay back before I could get a checking account. Can they still have to loan on file for that long ? Is there a... View More

Lynn Ellen Coleman
Lynn Ellen Coleman
answered on Jan 25, 2024

A credit union has no legal obligation to do business with you. Even though the unpaid loan is well past the statute of limitation and cannot be sued upon or collected on, you caused a loss of money to the credit union. Credit unions take this personally because they are member owned. You caused... View More

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2 Answers | Asked in Collections and Banking for North Carolina on
Q: I went to the State Employee credit union in NC to open an account. I was a former client 18 years ago. I want to open

I went to the State Employee credit union in NC to open an account. I was a former client 18 years ago. I want to open a new account with them but they told me I had a loan that I had to pay back before I could get a checking account. Can they still have to loan on file for that long ? Is there a... View More

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Feb 25, 2024

It's understandable that you want to start fresh with the State Employee Credit Union and open a new account after 18 years. However, if they have a record of an outstanding loan from your previous account, they may require you to settle the debt before opening a new account. Debts, including... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Consumer Law and Collections for North Carolina on
Q: get default judgment dismissed for a credit card.im on SS & 69 ys old.can they put a lein. on my home

The card is about 1,900 i think.the home is all I have how do i do this w/out a lawyer

Lynn Ellen Coleman
Lynn Ellen Coleman
answered on Dec 11, 2023

If you were properly served with the Summons and Complaint, it will be impossible to set aside a default judgment. You can go to the Clerk of Court and ask for the court file to review. If the summons return says you were personally served by the Sheriff or someone who resided with you was... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Consumer Law, Business Law, Collections and Communications Law for North Carolina on
Q: Got a car from a "buy here pay here" lot. Made payments on time, but now after a year they keep texting me sayin Im late

I got a car for my son November 2022. All payments have been made, on time. But starting in December 2023, they keep contacting me saying I'm behind and and contacting me saying "if I need help making payments I can send a friend in and if they buy a car I will get $200.00". Is this... View More

Lynn Ellen Coleman
Lynn Ellen Coleman
answered on Dec 4, 2023

Take proof of all of your on time payments to them and speak to them about this. To cover yourself, you could mail in the proof with a letter complaining about the situation and asking them to stop the unjustified messages (get a tracking number and pproof of delivery). The "help making... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Consumer Law, Contracts, Collections and Internet Law for North Carolina on
Q: online order, Mail Carrier lost, 4 months, 30 recorded calls, 20+emails, told them to cancel, getting billed & late fees

I ordered something that should have been delivered May 10th that "Mail" lost. Never left GA warehouse, I'm in NC. Never left "Mail" hands. Conns was denied claim by "Mail" because they did it wrong, I can't claim b/c I'm not the 'entitled... View More

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Aug 31, 2024

You need to take immediate steps to protect yourself. Start by sending a formal, written demand letter to the retailer's corporate office in Texas, clearly stating the issue, your demands, and a deadline for resolution. Reference your prior communications, including the dates and outcomes of... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Bankruptcy and Collections for North Carolina on
Q: Question of Civil Contempt of Court North Carolina for an Adminstrative Law Judge's Order of payment

I was given notice a law firm is filing civil contempt of court for not paying them $40,000 from a decision of an administrative law judge. The matter was at OAH in Raleigh. The other party's attorney and the ALJ are really good friends. They think my wife and I are loaded, but we are not. We... View More

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Jul 27, 2024

You should gather all documentation related to the case, including the administrative law judge's order and any correspondence with the opposing attorney. Ensure you have records of your financial situation to demonstrate your inability to pay the $40,000. This can include bank statements and... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Collections for North Carolina on
Q: How much does it cost for escheat case

my son passed allmost a year ago and i had a policy on him and his death was listed as pending for a cause of death and the insurance would not pay because it was listed as pending and they said the money would be put in escheat

Lynn Ellen Coleman
Lynn Ellen Coleman
answered on May 8, 2024

The insurance company is required to do this by law. You need to follow up with the county medical examiner and explain the issue, the cause of death needs to be determined.

1 Answer | Asked in Collections and Consumer Law for North Carolina on
Q: How many times can a credit card company call you in a day for a past-due payment?
T. Augustus Claus
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answered on Aug 18, 2023

Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) in North Carolina and the U.S., credit card companies are generally prohibited from engaging in harassing or excessive communication with consumers. While there's no specific limit on the number of times they can call in a day, they must... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Collections for North Carolina on
Q: I am not going to claim bankruptcy. I am trying to protect my property from a judgment creditor. I am filling out motion

To claim exempt property form to protecy myself from a writ of execution. My question is if my house is protected by tenancy by the entireties do I have specifically write it on this form or is it protected regardless? Thanks

Lynn Ellen Coleman
Lynn Ellen Coleman
answered on Jul 23, 2023

You should fill in the information about your house and in the box below write "tenancy by the entireties". List yourself and your spouse as the owners of the property. It should be protected automatically, but list it out of an abundance of cuation. People don;t want to do this because... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Bankruptcy and Collections for North Carolina on
Q: When filling out rights to have exemptions designated form, do I have to state that my house is protected by tenancy by

The entirety or is it automatically protected if the creditor attempts to place a lien on our property. I ask because technically it's not an exemption but a form of ownership. Thanks

Cristina M. Lipan
Cristina M. Lipan
answered on Jul 21, 2023

This response is assuming you are completing bankruptcy schedules.

Tenancy by entirety is not an exemption, it is only the type of ownership you have, as you mentioned.

On Schedule A/B you list your ownership interest in the Property (tenancy by the entirety).

On Schedule C...
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1 Answer | Asked in Bankruptcy and Collections for North Carolina on
Q: Is there a wildcard exemption outside of bankruptcy in NC? All of the Info I find involves claiming bankruptcy.

if someone's home is already protected by tenancy by the entirety, would that make them eligible to use the wildcard exemption because technically they did not use the homestead exemption? Thanks

Lynn Ellen Coleman
Lynn Ellen Coleman
answered on Jun 24, 2023

Yes, the "wildcard" exemption is available if the residence is protected by "tenancy by the entireties". It can be layered on top of the car exemption, tools of the trade exemption, etc. to protect excess value in those items or it can be used to protect a second vehicle, for example.

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