Browse practical perspectives on portfolio acquisition, collections operations, market data, and regulation.
December 1, 2018
Debt buyers may own a past-due account, but the individual or firm contacting a consumer may have limited authority to negotiate. This guide explains how to use validation information, document a settlement, address credit-report errors, and recognize state-specific legal and tax issues.
Read the analysisJuly 9, 2018
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s consumer debt-sale guidance explains how OCC-supervised banks should manage risk when selling charged-off consumer accounts to debt buyers. It is supervisory policy for those banks, not a complete statement of consumer rights or a blanket prohibition on debt sales; the applicable federal and state rules depend on the actor, account, and facts.
Read the analysisJune 13, 2018
Missing payments can lead to collection activity, credit-report consequences, and potentially court action, but the sequence is not automatic. This guide explains the roles of creditors, collectors, and debt buyers; federal consumer protections; and practical next steps.
Read the analysisJune 13, 2018
Alternative lenders can be useful when a conventional bank loan does not fit a project’s timing, collateral, or underwriting profile. They are not automatically less expensive or less regulated, so borrowers should compare total cost, repayment structure, security, guarantees, and applicable legal requirements before signing.
Read the analysisApril 25, 2018
Artificial intelligence can help banks organize collection workflows, but it does not remove the need for accountable judgment, tested controls, or consumer protections. For APAC operations, the practical starting point is a governed use case that is reviewed against the rules of each jurisdiction where the bank, customer, data, and communication channel are located.
Read the analysisApril 5, 2018
Choosing a third-party debt collection agency is a vendor-governance decision, not simply a search for the lowest contingency rate. This guide explains how to define the assignment, verify compliance and data-security controls, compare economics and reporting, and document responsibilities in a workable contract.
Read the analysisApril 5, 2018
AI can help collection teams handle defined, repeatable tasks and give live agents more time for exceptions, disputes, and complex conversations. Its value depends on accurate account data, clear escalation paths, testing, and controls that preserve applicable consumer protections.
Read the analysisApril 5, 2018
A collection agency KPI matrix is a consistent set of measures that connects cost, cash results, workflow quality, and consumer-protection controls. This guide explains how to define the metrics, compare like with like, and use exceptions for improvement rather than chasing a generic industry benchmark.
Read the analysisApril 4, 2018
Selecting a collection agency calls for more than comparing contingency fees. This guide explains how to verify regulatory footprint, assess complaint and control evidence fairly, define performance measures, and oversee a new placement without overlooking consumer-protection risks.
Read the analysisApril 3, 2018
Consumer debt sales require more than a purchase agreement: sellers and buyers need reliable account data, documented ownership, appropriate oversight, and clear consumer-protection controls. This article explains the limited scope of the OCC's 2014 guidance for OCC-supervised banks and the separate federal rules that may govern collection activity after a sale.
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