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I have a judgment against me and learned the creditor is charging me 10% interest. Is that legal?
I have a judgment against me. I agreed to make 50 monthly payments and have been for 18 months. I recently found out that they have been charging me 10% interest they told me it equals $112 monthly. I don't understand how if I'm paying $50 monthly its doing no good because I'm still being charged $62 on top of that for interest. Is this legal?
Most states do allow creditors to add interest, collection costs, and attorney’s fees to the balance of a judgment after the judgment is entered by the court, but the amount the creditor can add and how it must go about this process will largely depend on your state of residence.
Generally speaking, 10% interest on a judgment is legal, but some states have a lower maximum rate. See State Consumer Protection Laws and Exemptions for the maximum amount for your state.
In California for example, a judgment creditor must file with the court a document called a "Memorandum of Costs after Judgment, Acknowledgment of Credit, and Declaration of Accrued Interest," in which it outlines the costs it has incurred in its efforts to enforce the judgment, the interest accrued, and the amount it has received in payments to reduce the judgment balance. Once the creditor files this statement with the court, the court will review the claimed costs and interest, and unless you object to the claim, will likely add the request amount to the judgment balance. The creditor is required to mail you a copy of this document before it is considered by the court, giving you an opportunity to file an objection; if you do file an objection, the court will likely set the matter for a hearing, allowing you and the creditor to argue your cases to the judge.
Although the process is similar in many other states, remember that the procedure outlined above is specific to California, and is only provided as an example of the fact that judgment balances can have interest and fees added. Regardless your state of residence, a judgment creditor usually cannot increase the balance owed on a debt arbitrarily without court approval.
I hope this information helps you Find. Learn & Save.
Best,
Bill
www.bills.com/
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Debt statistics
If you are struggling with debt, you are not alone. According to the NY Federal Reserve total household debt as of Quarter Q1 2024 was $17.69 trillion. Student loan debt was $1.60 trillion and credit card debt was $1.12 trillion.
A significant percentage of people in the US are struggling with monthly payments and about 26% of households in the United States have debt in collections. According to data gathered by Urban.org from a sample of credit reports, the median debt in collections is $1,739. Credit card debt is prevalent and 3% have delinquent or derogatory card debt. The median debt in collections is $422.
Each state has its rate of delinquency and share of debts in collections. For example, in Louisiana credit card delinquency rate was 5%, and the median credit card debt was $355.
While many households can comfortably pay off their debt, it is clear that many people are struggling with debt. Make sure that you analyze your situation and find the best debt payoff solutions to match your situation.
