A creditor must sue in civil court, obtain a judgment and then request a judgment lien that can be recorded in the land records. A judgment can be rendered for different types of debts such as default on a promissory note, credit card debt, personal injury award, wrongful death, etc. Once a judgment lien is recorded in the land records the property cannot be sold or mortgaged until the lien is paid off. Interest begins to accrue as soon as the favorable judgment is issued.

Mechanic's liens are in a different category than other types of liens. They are intended to protect contractors. A mechanic's lien can be recorded by anyone who supplied labor or materials to make improvements to a property, including plans and designs. These are exclusively a product of state legislation and vary from state to state. Most require that the lien be the result of work performed by a licensed contractor or a licensed business which normally supplies building materials to construction sites and that the amount of the lien not exceed the normal and routine value of the work performed or materials provided.

However, to have an enforceable lien, it usually must be "perfected" in compliance with with the statutory requirements for maintaining and enforcing the lien. These requirements, which contain time limits, can include the following:

• Providing the required preliminary notice to the property owner disclosing the entitlement to the lien (some states).
• Filing notices of commencement of work (some states).
• Filing notices in the required public records offices of the intention to file a lien if unpaid (some states).
• Filing the notice or claim of lien in the required public records offices within a specified period of time after the materials have been supplied or the work completed (all states). The law varies from state-to-state on both the triggering event and the timing of this. Some states require the filing within a period measured from the time when the claimant completes its work, while others specify the event as being after all work on the project has been completed. The filing time periods after the triggering event vary, with 4-6 months being common.
• Filing a lawsuit to foreclose the lien within a specified time period.
• Those states that do not require a civil court judgment generally include significant penalties for falsely attaching mechanics liens to property.

For any substantial amount owed you should contact an attorney who can review your situation and explain your options in your state.

You should not file a lien or begin any legal action against a person without first contacting an attorney. If you make an error in preparing and/or filing the lien documents, the lien may be voided and you may be held liable for the other party's attorney fees. Incorrectly prepared lawsuits can have the same result. If you do not have a lot of money for an attorney, look in your phone book for the attorneys (usually "sole practitioners" who do not have an ad) who offer free consultations. You cannot afford not to talk to an attorney.

You can sell as soon as you take title: immediately.

You can actually sell it before you take title. It's called simultaneous closing. At title signing, the property would be signed over to your buyer instead of you. This may not work if you have purchased the house with a standard loan. There are usually prepayment penalties on such loans. Of course, if you're doing this kind of flip, you probably haven't approached a common lender.

The title would be signed and the monies dispersed to the proper parties during closing. You never even have to take possession of the property. (Check your state laws for any restrictions)

It depends.

Do you owe the money?

Can you pay the money?

Did you successfully complete a bankruptcy in which the debt was included? Was the law broken in any way while the original owner of the debt or the third party was trying to collect the money?

If you answered yes, yes, no, and no, then you should pay the debt. If you answered "no" to either of the first two questions or yes to either of the last two questions then you should probably not pay the debt.

Remember three things: 1) familiarize yourself with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act linked above 2) aside from income tax debt, most debts cannot be collected if they are older than seven years; so, if you haven't paid on a debt or made arrangements to pay a debt in the last 7 years, don't make arrangements now, it will restart the clock on collectibility of the debt and it will be another 7 years before you can claim the debt as noncollectable 3) FAX or send a registered letter with a request to the collection agency telling them that they may not contact you, your work, or your family by phone. When you have proof that they have received the FAX or registered letter, they are legally required to stop contacting you by phone.

Opinion

You will find more benefits dealing directly with the creditor than the collection agency. If you pay the original creditor, this would eliminate the having two negative entries on your credit report. The collection agency is just a middle man who will get a % of what he recovers for a fee. Go to areofcredit.com. It is a wonderful message board with everything you need to know.

Opinion

If the amount shows "charged off" on the credit report, do not pay anyone more money. This renews the account and delays the time when it would not count on your credit report. These third party collectors buy the account for cents on the dollar in hopes that they can resurrect an old debt.

Opinion

A charge off does not indicate the debt is not valid and collectible. The SOL for debt begins at the DLA of the account.

Any collection agency that owns the debt can file suit against the debtor in the debtor's state court. The SOL for debt applies to the time in which a creditor or collector can file suit, but it is not to be considered a valid defense by the debtor, as all states allow the "tolling" of the statute of limitations.

Any payment of any debt where the original creditor is not involved should be entered into by written agreement only.

The lien would be ineffective against property owned by a legally married couple as tenants by the entirety. A lien would be effective against the property if it is held as joint tenants with the right of survivorship.

You should check with an attorney in your jurisdiction. In some states a creditor with a lien against one joint tenant can force the sale of the property and split the proceeds with the non-debtor tenant. In other jurisdictions the creditor can only take the interest of the debtor and try to sell it. A lien against one joint tenant would have to be paid if the property is sold or mortgaged.

According to the "Fair Debt Collection Practices Act", a collection agency must submit to you in writing who the original creditor was, the original creditors contact information (if account was sold who owns the account now), and the amount owed. After you request this information, they must send the information to you via letter. You also have rights that state the collection agency must not threaten you in any way. If they do, you can prosecute.

Additional Iformation

You have rights, but you are still responsible for your debts. If you refuse to pay the debt, whether you think you have a valid reason or not, the collection agency has a right to get a judgment and garnish your wages or bank accounts. Having had something repossessed does not mean that it was "taken care of." It was your responsibility to make sure your name was cleared rather than just assuming that it was. If the furniture had decreased in value from normal wear and tear, it is very likely that you owed more on it than it was worth at the time it was repossessed.

Most collection agencies train their employees in collection laws and they know what they're doing. Nobody likes a bill collector, but we all know that they're necessary.

Clarification: Of course, only the original creditor or their assigned legal agent (a lawyer, NOT a collection agency) can get a judgement against you. A non-lawyer collection agency can NOT get a judgement against you because they cannot threaten to sue you. Read the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act which you can get from the Federal Website (see links below). If something was repossessed, and someone is still trying to collect on it, check with a lawyer. The circumstances vary too much to be answered here without getting bogged down and missing the point of the original question.

Remember, while collectors train their people in the law of collection, they also teach them how to skirt the laws that they think people are unfamiliar with.

Individual States

Each state has a statute of limitations (SOL) for debts incurred. If your debt is outside the SOL then you are not legally required to pay it. Period. A debt outside the SOL is an affirmative defense in a lawsuit.

Rights are retained in writing only. Do not settle for telephonic exchanges, decisions, or promises. Some states, particularly Ohio, have more severe rules regarding violations of the FDCPA.

Do not ignore the DC or the dunning letters. Some DCs follow the law, but your are responsible to ensure any contact with a DC is lawful. If they violate your rights, they sure won't sue themselves over it.

When dealing with collections agencies, make sure you are familiar with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), at minimum.

Here's are some quick tips from the Federal Citizen Information Center:

• Good resumes show how your qualifications fit the requirements of the jobs you apply for.
• Most occupations require abilities like reliability, teamwork, and communication.
• Good objective statements focus on the employer's needs.
• Nonwork activities add experience to your resume.
• Tailor your resume for each occupation or job of interest.
• Use action phrases, not complete sentences.
• Highlight specific achievements.
• Include quantifiable results where possible.
• Identify increases in responsibility.
• Mention special work related skills.
• Identify coursework relating to the employer's needs.
• Chronological resumes organize your experience around the jobs you have held.
• Functional resumes emphasize skills rather than employment history.
• Sprinkle your resume with language found in the position description.
• Use a laser printer and keep the font size at 10 points or above.
• Avoid mistakes by having several people proofread for you.

The following is an example; maybe it can help you:

　"I greatly appreciated your taking the time to read my self-recommendation letter. My name is Yu Ting, and I am majoring in English. I will graduate from Neijiang Teachers' college in June 2006.

　　'Only after polishing will the sword be sharp; only after suffering severe winter， will the plum blossom be fragrant.' After four years' hard study， I now possess the ability to be a qualified graduate.

　　Four years of hard work arms me with solid specialized knowledge. I have now mastered the basic English skills in : listening， speaking， reading， writing and translation; and I also have a good knowledge of grammar， phoneticsand linguistics. Moreover，extensive reading has broadened my mind. It acquainted me with western countries' cultures and customs. Hard work has also rewared me with high scores in my examinations.

　　With a perfect mastery of this specialized knowledge， I have also developed myself in an all-round way. I have been paying special attention to fostering my managerial ability， coordinating ability and cooperating ability. So I have done many jobs in my college life，such as working as a branch secretary of the group，as an English teacher of Jianming English Training School，and as a salesman. I have not only done a good job but also have learned a lot from such experiences.

　　Additionally， my self-confidence， industry， and enthusiasm pave the way for conquering the difficulties which would occur in future work.

　　My attributes have prepared me to make an immediate contribution to your company. Your trust and my ability will enable us to create a new marvel together. I welcome the opportunity to meet with you to further discuss my qualifications and your needs. Thanks for your time and consideration. "

Creating a good resume is one of the most important tasks. Your main goal is to make it attractive to an employers' eyes like a beautiful woman's online profile. I has to be so well-organized and in such logically order that employers would think you are the best fit.

This is a complicated area of law and the laws vary in different jurisdictions. You need to check the laws where you live. In a state where a judgment lien can be attached to your home, you may be able to simply wait until the recorded judgment lien has expired as long as the creditor takes no further steps. This is not an infrequent result. If the creditor moves forward on the judgment lien then you need to pay it in order to free your home from the lien.

In some states the creditor must choose to repossess or sue you for the amount owed. It cannot do both. In other states the debtor may be liable for any deficiency after a repossession. In Massachusetts the deficiency must be over $2,000.

In jurisdictions where a deficiency judgment is allowed there are various exemptions such as:

• retirement accounts
  
• some of your wages if you make under a certain amount
  
• homestead exemptions for your residence in some states
  
• some equity in your home in some states
• certain public benefits