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Collections answers

How collection rules count, what agencies charge and how to run a placement program you can defend.

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Three federal rule sets shape most consumer collections in the U.S.: the FDCPA, the CFPB's Regulation F, and the FCC's TCPA rules for calls and texts. State rules add more on top. These answers explain how those rules count in practice, what agencies charge, and how to judge what you keep after fees. Each answer names its sources and shows when it was last reviewed.

CollectionsWhat do collection agencies charge, and what do you net after fees?Published contingency ranges, what moves the rate, and the net-back math that shows what you keep after fees.CollectionsWhat counts toward Regulation F's 7-in-7 call limit?How Regulation F counts calls toward its 7-in-7 presumption: per person and per debt, which calls are excluded, how consent works and what records to keep.CollectionsWhat does the FCC's TCPA consent revocation order change, and when?The FCC's TCPA consent revocation order takes effect Nov 25, 2026: what changes for informational calls and texts, exclusive opt-outs and what to fix first.CollectionsWhat should a collection services RFP include, and how should you score it?The criteria, weights, model questions and scoring scale for a collection agency RFP, with a free editable template for up to 5 agencies.CollectionsShould you sell charged-off accounts or keep placing them?Compare a buyer's bid with what placement nets after fees, costs and time. FTC data on portfolios bought in 2006-2009 puts the average at 4 cents a dollar.CollectionsHow does an account move from placement to close, including disputes, recalls and credit reporting?The 7 steps a placed collection account goes through at TSI, from file checks and the first notice to disputes, credit reporting, recalls and close.CollectionsWhich collection agencies are licensed in all 50 states, and how do you verify a license?No public list shows which collection agencies are licensed in all 50 states. What the claim should mean, and how to check any agency's licenses yourself.CollectionsHow are collection calls monitored, scored and root-caused?TSI records every collection call, scores each one with speech analytics, has people review flagged and sampled calls, and root-causes repeat failures.CollectionsWhat should you ask a collection agency about your data at contract end?7 questions to ask a collection agency about your data at contract end: what it must keep by law, what it returns, when it destroys the rest, and proof.CollectionsBest collection agencies for businesses: how to compare them in 2026How to compare collection agencies for your business: the 8 criteria that matter, the types of provider, and a dated list of agencies and alternatives to shortlist.CollectionsHow do you choose a collection agency?Shortlist collection agencies on license, record and fit, then let a split placement pick the winner. Where to check each claim and what to contract for.CollectionsHow do you switch collection agencies without losing recoveries?Switch collection agencies with a run-off that keeps every account worked. A 90-day plan, the data file to demand and what restarts under Regulation F.CollectionsWhat recovery rate should you expect from a collection agency?No reliable industry-wide recovery rate exists. See why, which public figures do exist and their caveats, and how to measure an agency's net-back yourself.CollectionsShould you keep collections in-house or outsource them?Compare what your own team nets with what an agency nets after fees. Free calculator, a worked example and the costs most comparisons leave out.CollectionsWhen should you send an account to a collection agency?Set the placement day from signals like lost contact, broken promises and the age where your team stops recovering. A decision table plus the legal clocks.

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