# Talk to me about collections (& taxes) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 23, 2017, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-collections-taxes/789686 "2017-06-23T15:37:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-collections-taxes/789686/1 "2017-06-23T15:37:17Z")
Fuck [del]B[/del]Jerkheimer! (the third-party firm who processes local earned-income tax collections on behalf on many local towns) Those incompetent mutha-fuckers make make baby goat felchers look like upstanding members of society!!! Those shit-smeared puss-lickers have fucked up my local income tax four times in the past three years! How the 'ell is that even possible? Anyway, I’m still waiting for my tax refund… **from 2015!** They couldn’t tell me why it was delayed when I spoke to them last week, only that it was being processed. As of last night, I _still_ don’t have the check. I want to start collections proceedings against them. If for no other reason than it will give them a black eye & cost them something in terms of having to defend themselves. I;m assuming I go after both them & my town, on whose behalf they work, correct? Do I go after them in small claims court? Hire a collections firm? I’ve never sued anyone so please guide me a bit. If I do the former, can I go after them for anything over & above the roughly $150 that they owe me? [ul] [li]Court costs?[/li][li]Interest? Can I put down a flat fee for this, say $5 or $10, which is probably more than actual interest owed but not an unreasonable amount.[/li][li]What about the time I’d expect to miss from work to go to court? Can I try to collect for a ½ day as part of my cost of collecting from them?[/li][li]Anything else?[/li][/ul] **Note1:** I’m out of town this weekend, may have very limited intertubez access so I may not be able to respond quickly; however, I want to do whatever I’m going to do early next week as there is a town council meeting next week & I’d love to see what they have to say about this, publicly. **Note2:** It’s a rant, but it’s a rant asking for advice; therefore, I think it belongs in IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-collections-taxes/789686/2 "2017-06-23T15:58:38Z")
If they are doing it on behalf of your town government, have you spoken with a representative of the town? Mayor, city council member, alderman, etc. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-collections-taxes/789686/3 "2017-06-23T16:16:17Z")
Yes, but not much help. He greased the wheels to have a district manager call me back, but have not seen evidence that he’s actually done what he said he would. Finance director admitted he doesn’t have any performance info on their level of (in)competency. [ul] [li]How many others 2015 refunds haven’t been processed[/li][li]Avg wait time when calling [/li][li]% of calls abandoned due to long hold time[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-collections-taxes/789686/4 "2017-06-23T16:45:27Z")
Then yes, an appearance at a city council meeting is a good idea. Make sure you have whatever documentation you have is organized. Stick to “just the facts, ma’am” when you speak to the council - “I filed in 2015, I am owed a refund of $150, I have not received it, they promised I would get it in two weeks/a month/another month/I still haven’t received it” - that kind of thing. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-collections-taxes/789686/5 "2017-06-23T17:17:19Z")
My plan is to take action BEFORE the meeting. If I take the to small claims court, what can I add over & above principal? Or should I hire a collections firm? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-collections-taxes/789686/6 "2017-06-23T17:48:04Z")
They have a horrible rating. My guess is some politico is getting some nice campaign contributions. Find out who and get a story printed. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-collections-taxes/789686/7 "2017-06-24T11:11:00Z")
::Bump:: Anybody? Where are all the Doper lawyers? What can I add, over & above principal to a small claims court suit? Or would a collections agency be a better way to go? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-collections-taxes/789686/8 "2017-06-24T11:31:38Z")
I couldn’t find the percentage that the collection agency keeps, but if a debt buyer buys the deebt and pursues collection themselves, you shouldn’t expect to get more than about eight cents on the dollar. My reading also suggests that sending a colletion agency after them might not even be an option (something about a requirement to write off the debt after 4-6 months of delinquency, THEN taking collections actions). The fact that this outfit is acting as an agent of a level of government may complicate matters further. I don’t know if sovereign immunity in any form applies. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-collections-taxes/789686/9 "2017-06-24T14:15:08Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > ::Bump:: > Anybody? Where are all the Doper lawyers? What can I add, over & above principal to a small claims court suit? Or would a collections agency be a better way to go? I can only speak from past experience in another arena, but damages are usually limited to actual and provable expenses incurred, such as court costs. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-collections-taxes/789686/10 "2017-06-24T14:35:03Z")
Depends on the jurisdiction but small claims usually doesn’t pay out on court costs. But a sympathetic judge may do it anyway. And even if you win such a case doesn’t mean you’ll get paid and then you just have another collections problem.