AboutMichelle Dunn Expertise As one of the Top 5 Women in Collections, one of the Top 50 Collection Professionals of 2007, and winner of the 2007 Business Excellence award, I can answer any questions about debt, debt collection, improving business credit, creating a credit policy, enforcing a credit policy and collecting on past due accounts. I can also answer questions in regards to starting a debt collection agency since I have been a bill collector for over 21 years, started and ran my own collection agency for 8 years, and maintain my 11 year old American Credit & Collections Association for members of the credit & debt collection industry. I am also the author of the popular and award winning book "Starting a Collection Agency, how to make money collecting money" now on it's 3rd edition. This book has won a the Writers Digest self published award as well as the 2007 New York Book Festival Award.
I am a repeat contributor to the Wall Street Journal, and have been featured on NPR as well as many other national radio and television programs. I have also been featured in national publications such as the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Smart Money, MSNBC and much more. I have 12 published books to my name and am an accomplished speaker and consultant. I currently write 9 columns for newspapers, magazines and online portals worldwide.
Experience I have over 21 years experience in debt collection, I started and ran my own collection agency for 8 years and I am the Executive Director of my American Credit & Collections Association that I founded in 1998. www.credit-and-collections.com
Organizations The American Credit & Collections Association LLC, I was also a member of the American Collectors Association and Plymouth Chamber of Commerce for 9 years. I am a member of many writing groups as well as my local Women Inspiring Women chapter. I am a member of Know More Media as an expert for their blog on business credit.
Publications Business NH Magazine, Smart Money Magazine, MSNBC, CNN, Forbes.com, The Wall Street Journal, Home Business Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine and website, many books, newspapers and television programs as well.
Education/Credentials I have written 12 books in my collecting money series and one for Entrepreneur Press called the Ultimate Credit and Collections Handbook.
Awards and Honors My book Starting a Collection Agency, how to make money collecting money won an award from Writers Digest and the 2007 New York Book Festival in the "How to" category. I have won 2 awards from Dun & Bradstreet and Governor Jean Shaheen. I was nominated as one of the Top 5 Women in Collections in 2007 as well as having been selected as one of Collection Advisor's Top 50 Collection Professionals for 2007.
Question Hello: Do you know
1: What the licensing requirements are to start a collection agency in Philadelphia?
2: As an attorney, do I contact the creditors directly for debtors lists or do I have to purchase the debtor's debt in order to solicit repayment from the debtor. In other words, how do I get lists of debtors so that I can start my attorney owned collection business?
Answer 1. Call your state offices in Philadelphia and they can give you the forms you need and let you know how much it will be if you need to be licensed or bonded there. Remember that you will need to be licensed in any state you collect in so if you are only going to collect from debtors in Philadelphia, you would only need to be licensed there if it is required. You can also get a listing in my book "Starting a Collection Agency" of every state and what the requirements are, who to contact and the cost.
2. I don't think it matters that you are an attorney if you are starting a collection agency. You can operate your agency as a contingency business or maybe you just want to purchase debt and collect that way. It is totally up to you and what you want to do and how you want to run your agency.
Once you decide which you would rather do, then you can take appropriate steps from there based on that decision.
