One of the main benefits to working with many collection agencies is that you only pay them when they successfully recover your money. This means if the collection agency fails to collect money on your behalf, you don’t owe a penny. Debt collection agents operate on a commission, usually collecting about one third of the commission.
Notwithstanding, this isn’t always the case. If you have a few smaller debts ranging form $10 – $500 each, the collection agency could require a fixed fee to handle those small accounts to make it profitable for them.
Collection agencies earn their money by taking a percentage of the money the debtor owes upon successful collection. This percentage can range from 10% to 50% with the most common percentage being between 25% and 40%.
The amount the agency keeps is typically based on the age and the dollar amount of the claim. The older the debt the more difficult it is to collect and the agency will require a much higher fee to go after that debt. You should factor in how difficult it will be to collect. Certain debts are riskier to collect and therefore require a higher the percentage.
You may also be responsible for several other charges related to their collection efforts including fee-based background checks, travel, filing fees, and long-distance phone calls.
Before any collection agency will work even a single claim, they will write up an account release form that details the terms of your working arrangement including their responsibilities, the fees, any additional expenses, and customer service policies.
As with any contract make sure you read it over carefully for any fine print or contract language that seems confusing. If you notice discrepancies in the contract, make sure the agency fixes the problems immediately before asking you to sign it.
Mallory Megan works for a collections agency that works with a debt collection lawyer. Also, she composes pieces on business, finance, consumer spending and collections agencies. Don’t reprint this exact article. Instead, reprint a free unique content version of this same article.
