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| Attorneys at Law |
“THE CHECK IS IN THE MAIL . . .”
How many times have you heard these words? It seems to be
getting harder and harder to collect your accounts receivable. What can you do?
Over years of representing many clients, we have put together
a list of ways to make it easier to get what's coming to you.
- Get everything in writing at the start. Put your
understanding down on paper, and have your client/patient/buyer sign it.
- Use written billings, and document the work you perform
(time slips, invoices, notes, etc.)
- Use a “Guarantee of Account.” This is a document that
your client signs before you do any work. It says that if your client
does not pay a bill when due, late fees accrue and they have to pay
for attorney's fees and collection costs, not you.
- Get and keep accurate and complete information on your
individual clients/patients/buyers, including current home address and phone
number, social security number, driver's license number, place of
employment, etc.
- Keep a photocopy of any checks the debtor has written to
you. This information will help your attorney collect from your debtor,
garnish his or her wages, attach bank accounts, etc.
- Once someone owes you money, write them instead of calling.
Putting it on paper makes it harder to ignore and creates a “paper trail.”
- If the debtor doesn't respond promptly, take action.
Remember, that although the statute of limitations for most collection cases
is between one and three years, depending on your local law, overdue
accounts are much easier to collect if you act promptly. We recommend that
you not wait any longer than 90 days to refer your overdue accounts to your
attorney for collection.
Brett Weiss has handled collection issues for over 18
years. We have collected millions of dollars for our clients, money that
otherwise would have been written off. Often, just improving the documents your
clients sign when you start work can help prevent problems down the road. And if
it is necessary to sue someone, we are as tenacious as kudzu. Call us at (301)
924-4400 or e-mail
us to set up a time to talk.