Paying collection agencies??

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Paying collection agencies??
2
Tue, 01-06-2009 - 12:09pm
A while back I remember reading that you should always try to pay a debt off to the original creditor, even if it has gone to collections. I have some medical bills in collections. They have NOT shown up on my credit report. I've also heard that you shouldn't talk to collection agencies on the phone and do everything in writing. I get several calls a day from collection agencies and I don't answer the phone. I have every intention of paying these bills when I am able and I'd prefer to pay the hospitals I actually owe. Am I correct that it's better to pay the original creditor? Since these bills haven't shown up on my credit report, would I be better off to actually talk to the collection agencies to see if I can settle the debt for less? Or would negotiating a settlement cause it to show up on my credit report? These bills are old enough that if they were going to show up on my credit report I'm sure they would have by now.


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Registered: 11-17-2007
Tue, 01-06-2009 - 12:29pm

First Welcome


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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Tue, 01-06-2009 - 1:24pm

Thanks for the info. I had something similar happen a few years ago. I thought I had paid off all the bills for a procedure and I went back to the doctor a couple years later and they told me I owed them $400-something. The finance lady asked me if I wanted to contact the collection agency or if I wanted to pay them directly. I opted to pay them directly and everything was fine.

I should mention that our credit isn't terrible and I don't want to risk having negative information added because we're hoping to sell our house in the spring to move closer to DH's job and we need to be able to get a mortgage. I'm afraid by talking to collection agencies it will end up on my credit report.


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