You have legitimate receivables to collect, and a professional debt collection agency is trained to do it properly.

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Verizon eventually turned the matter over to a third-party debt collection agency, even with the knowledge that Howard had died in December 2010.

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More so than any other type of debt, medical debt seems to send consumers straight to the collection agency.

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The agency and the IMF both urge better debt collection.

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If the debt is still collectible, it may still be proper for the collection agency to issue a form 1099-C if their collection efforts are not successful.

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