Where to start with collection agencies?

[Anonymous]

Stupidity has caught up, and boy do I regret it.

I have a credit score of 569 and about 8 items in collections totalling $4000

Most is medical bills from getting unexpected heart failure at 40 years old.

A few are for $300, $400, etc., from credit cards from 5 years ago, a cancelled cell phone charge and another goofy thing.

I do not have the money to pay these in full but can make payments on them.

Where do I start? What's the best way to get my credit score up in the shortest amount of time? Do I start with the big ones, the small ones, the oldest ones? Will taking care of those effect my credit score at all?

[MonkeyBelly]

Definitely do some reading here (and other credit boards) before making any moves with your collections. I suggest reading up on offers to PFD or Pay For Deletion. Good luck! 

[chevyman]

If u know that its yours offer a PFD if they won't I would pay it anyway say I does not creep back up on u if someone does a full history it shows it was paid not an unpaid debt

[DaBears]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Stupidity has caught up, and boy do I regret it.

I have a credit score of 569 and about 8 items in collections totalling $4000

Most is medical bills from getting unexpected heart failure at 40 years old.

A few are for $300, $400, etc., from credit cards from 5 years ago, a cancelled cell phone charge and another goofy thing.

I do not have the money to pay these in full but can make payments on them.

Where do I start? What's the best way to get my credit score up in the shortest amount of time? Do I start with the big ones, the small ones, the oldest ones? Will taking care of those effect my credit score at all?

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First off sorry to hear about your medical condition at an early age. By all means if you do in fact have the funds and you do know it's your debt I would call them up and offer a PFD ( Pay For Delete ) that would be the only shot at getting your score to boost. Paying a collection and having it removed is the only way. paid/unpaid is the same thing cause Fico still sees it as a collection. I would start with the most recent ones as those are hurting your score the most. If the PFD does not work you can always go the GW ( Good Will ) letter route and see if they will delete the paid collection off your reports. Good Luck!!!

[Anonymous]

I am really appreciating this advice. Thank you all SO much. This is all a HUGE help.

So is it indeed the case that the most recent collections are the most damaging? I have 2 bill from Resurrection Hospital that are in collections that total $1500. Would paying those and getting a PFD actual go to increasing my credit score?

[DaBears]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I am really appreciating this advice. Thank you all SO much. This is all a HUGE help.

So is it indeed the case that the most recent collections are the most damaging? I have 2 bill from Resurrection Hospital that are in collections that total $1500. Would paying those and getting a PFD actual go to increasing my credit score?

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Call the hospital if they still own it and ask them if you pay in full would they be kind to to remove their TL from the CRA's. If they will you can be assured to see some type of score increase!!!!

[Chitwngrl]

What do u say to a CA rep on the phone when u ask for a PFD and they say no?do you en tell them you're not going to pay them at that time?

[Shogun]

Nope, you say thank you for your time.  Then you send one in the mail, then you do some research in the company, look for a dispute officer, VP, someone up the ladder.  Often time a front line CSR cannot make those types of decisions and you have to find someone that can.

[guiness56]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Stupidity has caught up, and boy do I regret it.

I have a credit score of 569 and about 8 items in collections totalling $4000

Most is medical bills from getting unexpected heart failure at 40 years old.

A few are for $300, $400, etc., from credit cards from 5 years ago, a cancelled cell phone charge and another goofy thing.

I do not have the money to pay these in full but can make payments on them.

Where do I start? What's the best way to get my credit score up in the shortest amount of time? Do I start with the big ones, the small ones, the oldest ones? Will taking care of those effect my credit score at all?

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I would start by asking the hospital for financial aid on those.