You played the game the way it’s supposed to be played. You did your job and you obtained a court judgment. But, you’ve probably realized by now that collecting a debt is hardly a spectator sport.

The debtor may still in fact be playing games, hoping to wear you down or sap your commitment to collect in hopes that you’ll accept pennies on the dollar, or simply go away.

Fortunately, there’s an efficient, tried & true system for collecting debt in Texas. A key consideration that should never go overlooked is how powerfully information you collect on a debtor can be used against them.

You never know what information will come in handy when collecting a debt.

INFORMATION IS POWER: Delinquent debtors want to remain a mystery; they think the less you know about them, the better. In reality, the more information you have at your disposal, the more leverage you gain.

A post-judgment investigation often begins by accessing online databases of public information; driver’s licenses, deeds, telephone records, car registrations, marriage licenses and credit reports can yield great insights and guide your next steps.

Sometimes, if the debt is substantial enough, consider hiring a private investigator who can help identify assets that can be accessed in payment of the debt. The cost to hire an investigator can be as little as five hundred dollars or, for more complex investigations, as much as three or four thousand dollars. A trained expert in post-judgment debt collection can carefully analyze each situation and determine whether a private investigation is warranted.

INFORMATION IS LEVERAGE:  Personal information allows you to construct a “profile” of the debtor. Every piece of new information will help inform ways to apply more pressure on the debtor. For instance:

• What kind of car do they drive?
• Where do they bank?
• Who are their closest associates?
• Do they own or rent?

Lenders can sometimes regret not getting “enough” information before providing credit or a loan. The Post-Judgment Investigation gets lenders back in the game and in a better position to collect.

Conducting the Post-Judgment Investigation is step three. Next, we explore Post-Judgment Discovery.

Collecting Judgments in Texas is a multipart series offered by attorney Darrell W. Cook. Mr. Cook is one of the foremost experts in Texas on maximizing wealth through the efficient collection of outstanding debts. He’s particularly expert in the art and science of collecting money owed following the issuance of a legally enforceable court judgment.  

To learn more about collecting judgments and debts, and to read some pretty interesting and sometimes bizarre stories, follow us on LinkedIn and check out our collections blog here.