PFD Call or Send Letter

[Tpelc23]

OK what is the quickest and easiet way to do  PFD? Do you call or send a letter with a check?

We will be applying for a mortgage shortly and I have 3 medical collections left that I would like to do this with, but only want to do if they will delete.....as I don't want to re age the account and take a score hit right now. If required for underwriting we will pay at closing....Thoughts and suggestions please.

[BreezyWe]

I emailed on a saturday afternoon and received a phone call monday for a PFD

[RobertEG]

What is your concern regarding "reaging?"  Does it relate to expiration of the SOL on the debt, or to future credit report exclusion?

It your concern is reaging the CR exclusion date, offering a PFD will have no effect.  CR exclusion is based only on the DOFD on the OC account, which is a fixed, date-certain that is not reset by any subsequent actions by you or the debt collector.

How to communicate with them is, in my opinion, based on who you are trying to communicate with.

If you just send a PFD, it will most likely be handled by regular personnel.  If  their standard policy is not to grant PFDs, it is unlikely to reach the desk of a management official who might have the flexibility to grant an exception.  The same really applies to phone conversations.  However, if you have the name of an official who might have some authority, I would try to establish a personal discussion with them.

If you go the mail route, it is not usually advisable to send a check with your PFD offer.  Being a negotiable instrument, they may just deposit it, creating a whole raft of problems for you. 

My suggestion is to try and get the name of a responsible management official, and call them.

[Tpelc23]

I just don't want to pay and not get the delete because it will tank my score

[Anonymous]

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@Tpelc23 wrote:
I just don't want to pay and not get the delete because it will tank my score

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Paying without the delete will not tank your score.  Your score will not change in any way by paying off a collection.  Why are you thinking it will tank?

[Crashem]

I disagree with some of the stuff said earlier if I understand the acronyms.  Your concern is that paying the medical accounts will reage the accounts so they stay another 7 years (ie from your last transaction).  Someone made a point earlier that your score shouldn't go down if you pay as it will just change the medical collection account from unpaid to paid.  I am unclear if a change in status on old account will change your score.  But I think you are right that whatever effect it is having on your credit score will continue for 7 years (ie reaged).

Your best bet is to contact the medical collection accounts and ask for it and explain the reaging.  I recently had to deal with 3 different medical bills for my wife with this issue.  Surprisingly, 2 offered to delete even without paying.  They just wanted to hear I needed it.  In any case, I paid all 3 and had all three deleted.  In my experience, you need to have some reason for the issue (insurance messup/ moved etc.) and some need to have it cleared up, and then mention the reaging and, in my case, they worked with me.  Medical collection firms seem to be more understanding and less corporate.

Good luck and let me know if you need any more advice.