Will My Sister Go to Prison if Doesn't Pay Her Credit Cards?

Question

My sister is in debt and hasnt payed a credit card bil since about 5 years ago. Collection agencies are still calling her. What should she do and what will happen if she doesnt pay? She stays at home and hides out because she has no money.

Answer 1

She won't go to prison, but her life will be very difficult until she faces and deals with this problem.

Is she working? Does she have any income at all? She needs to come up with a plan for repayment. Contact a true debt counseling organization like this:

http://www.cccsstl.org/

I can tell you from experience it is better to face these things head on than ducking calls and hiding. Things won't get better until she takes action to make it better!

Answer 2

The main thing she needs to do is contact the credit card company. They were willing to give her the credit she wanted at the time of spending,so just know that they will also be willing to give her credit when she is having any type of trouble with payment. This is why they offer the insurance that allows for payment lapse,loss of job, injuries, etc. It may cost a little bit more, but it is well worth it when times are tight. Let's say when you received the cards you had applied for the insurance,then run the balance up, then made at least 2 payments of say 10.00, then the chances of salvaging your credit would be higher than say if you did'nt apply for it. Mainly it all boils down to communication, you explaining the need for your sister to take some action for her own financial future.And in turn your sister comnunicating to the credit collector that she wants to do the right thing. Because it only prolongs the feeling of weight that is on her shoulders because of this. Another thing, no one and I mean NO ONE! HAS TO FEEL ASHAMED FOR BEING IN DEBT! Over half of the people in this world are in debt and for all different types of reasons. You are not alone, so don't feel that you are. Just pull yourself out of this pity that you feel and become proactive and talk to someone for a reasonable solution for your particular situation. You will not believe the feeling of relief once you do. As for the rest of this, some of the other answers are right on the target. The main thing that will happen if this continues is, well does your sister ever want to buy a house someday? a new car? It may seem like a sermon but I have to say this is the gospel of money and credit these days. Cleaning up your credit is as important as living. Because it affects how you will live in the future. For instance, say she wants to get a house, well with bad credit you will pay almost and in some cases over double what that house is worth. All because the company that will allow her to get the house sees all of the payment history she has had and will give her a chance, but not without protecting their own interests. Just know that if you can buy a house for 150,000. dollars, why pay over 300,000? This is what will happen unless this matter is rectified. Just spending alot of money that you don't need to spend for the same things that others get good deals for.

Answer 3

They can only go after things she owns. Meaning things that she has paid off already. The only time they really jail someone is when the amount they owe outweighs the court costs to take the person to court. Unless she owes the government, theres really nothing they can do. Plus, after 7 years, it get wiped off her credit report. It basically vanishes. It's a credit policy. Sometimes it takes 8 or 9 but usually seven years and it's erased from the credit report. If she owes ALOT then they might try to take her to court. ALOT meaning 15,000 or more. Most of the time, they're bluffing to scare her into paying the money. I've been there done that.

Answer 4

You people give stupid, horrible advice. A person CAN NOT go to jail for credit card or any other debt unless you have IRS or child support debt. DEBTORS PRISON NO LONGER EXISTS!!! Bad debts are a civil matter not a criminal one. The only way you can go to jail for a loan is if you wrote a bad check on a CLOSED ACCOUNT ONLY!!! that implies intent. collectors cannot harass you at work or anywhere else , this applys to all states. If they do , you have every right to sue them .

Answer 5

turn it over to the mastercard company. they're going to press costs for card fraud, and your daughter will probable ought to recompensate the costs and would spend penal complicated time. you want them to study from their effects, nicely it somewhat is the suitable element for it. What are you able to purpose this can be extra efficient? no longer something. They broke the regulation. they favor to pay the penalty. you assert you've worked the gadget. how lots of those human beings wound up there because their mum and dad by no skill enable them take the fall the first time? rather, the mother and dad enabled them to proceed their criminal behaviors again and again, till it grew to change right into a intense effect. look after it now, earlier they rack up extra costs. It sounds to me that you're allowing your self to be abused out of a few lost martyr complicated from the divorce. you sense responsible and they are raking it in out of your guilt. you do not ought to sense responsible, there is no reason to, and also you do not ought to pay something to make it as a lot as them.

Answer 6

Credit card debts vary from State to State. For instance, the statute of limitations for unsecured debt (secured loans are for cars, homes, etc) in California is 4 years. I defaulted on some credit card bills years ago. Once th 4 year mark hit, I told off all collectors and they stopped calling me. HAH!!

Answer 7

I've been in this situation before and I have to say that the best thing your sister can do is to contact her creditors and explain the situation rather than avoid them. Believe it or not, most creditors are very understandable. By continually avoiding them, they could go to civil court and sue your sister. If she cannot pay the payments then, she could do jail time.

Answer 8

Find something to do,like home babysit,go to find a job.Call the credit car company,let them know how much you able to pay even 10 dollar amonth.She have to take care of it.

Answer 9

Supposedly there is no 'debter's prison' in the US....however, I work for a county jail and have seen poeple come in becasue they owed a loan company money and haven't paid.

You might call the DA's office in your area and ask someone....

Answer 10

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