The Coronavirus pandemic has upended most of our lives and left so many Americans without an ability to make payments on their expenses. We are all feeling financial anxiety brought upon by an uncertain future. I’d like to give you an update on debt collection in California during the Covid-19 Pandemic from the perspective of a debt relief attorney who is still working with creditors and lenders on a daily basis.
Dealing With Debt Collectors in California During the Coronavirus
Whether you have credit card debt, private student loan debt, small business debt, medical debt or any other kind of debt in California – debt collectors are not stopping collections on old debt at this time during the Coronavirus. The good news is that many debt collectors are being more lenient on payment collections. If you have been sued for debt in California, the lawsuits that were filed before the Covid-19 Pandemic are still being processed. Meaning that process servers are still actively serving people with lawsuits. In some cases, we are seeing debt collectors continuing to collect because they know consumers are most likely at home.
Will I Be Sued for Debt During the Coronavirus?
At present time, I am observing that most courts are not accepting new civil filings (new lawsuits) until at least mid-April 2020, and that date might get extended. Unfortunately, we cannot predict the future with so much economic uncertainty. Consumers unable to make payments on their debt can most likely expect new debt lawsuits to be filed once the courts begin accepting new lawsuits again. Currently the courts are focusing on lawsuits that are considered emergency in nature, such as domestic violence restraining orders or child-related safety cases.
*** The courts began accepting new filings for lawsuits and we are seeing a significant increase in collection lawsuits being filed by creditors. Each county Superior Court has established their own rules as to whether you are required to attend court hearings in-person or via a remote appearance. Each individual court can set their own requirements based on information received from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ***
Watch Out for Debt Relief Scams
Most of the nation has financial anxiety, and scammers are ready to take advantage of it. Be aware of who you reach out to for debt relief advice. Credit counseling services and debt relief attorneys are held to ethical standards under the law that “debt settlement companies” are not. Be sure whoever you reach out to for advice does not charge an up-front fee for a consultation. You should be able to discuss your particular debt situation, your debt relief options and be offered a strategy to deal with your debt before paying a dime.
These are challenging times we are living through with the Coronavirus affecting all our daily lives. If you have any concerns about current or future debt, we are here to help. Call us for a free consultation at 844-729-4866 and we can go over your situation and try to put a plan in place to deal with your debt.
Jonathan B. Haskett is a debt attorney serving clients in California and focuses exclusively in debt relief. He is licensed to practice in California. Mr. Haskett owns and operates The Debt Settlement Lawyer in San Diego, and helps people with debt problems all over the country, if possible. For more information, please contact attorney Jonathan Haskett at 844-729-4866, or jonathan@thedebtsettlementlawyer.com. or use our online contact form.