ACA Cast

Consumers facing hardships have a better chance of resolving them when they communicate with debt collections professionals.

The COVID-19 crisis has brought out the best in humanity as individuals, communities and corporations have found creative ways of assisting people feeling the weight of the pandemic. Interestingly, debt collection professionals have always lent a hand in helping consumers facing challenges through various hardship programs and financial options. In this episode of ACA Cast titled, “Answer the Phone so a Debt Collector can Help,” Kim Coghill, former vice president of communications at ACA International, interviews Kenlyn Gretz, CEO of Americollect in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and Scott Hearn, president of Universal Fidelity in Katy, Texas, about financial hardship programs and how the industry works with consumers to successfully resolve debt. 

There’s no question that the COVID-19 crisis has presented many unforeseen challenges and opportunities that could become the “new normal” as we flatten the curve and transition back into the office environment. In this episode of ACA Cast titled, “COVID-19: Working in a New Environment,”  Michael Lamm, managing partner at Corporate Advisory Solutions, and Kim Coghill, vice president of communications at ACA International, discuss the impact the crisis has had on the debt collection industry along with tips for working in the post-pandemic world. This riveting podcast is packed with information designed to prepare you for heading back to the office --  or extending your remote work arrangements.  

Collectors Insurance Agency pros discuss ways M&As impact your bonds, licensing and insurance.

If a merger or acquisition is in your company’s future, then this episode of ACA Cast titled, “A Closer Look at M&As” is must listen-to podcast for you and your staff. Tune in to hear Collectors Insurance Agency Licensing Manager Angela Butera and Sales Manager Dereck Tessmer answer tough questions about confidentiality and notification requirements associated with all merger and acquisition activities. 

This podcast is sponsored by CT Corporation. CT Corporation is the leading provider of corporate business compliance solutions in the US and over 150 countries around the globe. Drawing on more than a century of experience, its offerings enable companies to effectively manage statutory representation, service of process, annual report filings and business licenses as required by state and federal law. For more information, visit ctcorporation.com 
(Angela Butera is pictured)

Financial losses associated with identity theft seem to expand each year despite the safeguards and ongoing educational information published by government, financial and consumer groups. In this episode of ACA Cast titled, “Identity Theft: Don’t Fall Victim to the Threat,” Jessica Hearn, CFO and compliance director with Universal Fidelity in Katy, Texas, provides thoughtful insights on securing personal information and communicating with debt collectors about potential fraud. 

Hearn notes that professional debt collectors are trained to understand and manage cases where fraud may have occurred. “Collection agencies are here to rectify outstanding balances and they do not want to collect on fraudulent balances," Hearn said. "This doesn’t benefit the consumer or the client. The consumer trying to rectify identify theft should provide this information to the collection agency so that their accounts are flagged and handled properly.” She also mentioned that collection agencies will ask consumers to provide a police report or Federal Trade Commission identity theft document to attach to the account.

When Larry Steller, owner and CEO of Quality Asset Recovery LLC, was looking for a new dialer program for his agency, he knew he needed an efficient option that wouldn’t be a cost burden.  

Being a small business in the industry, those factors were even more important. 

Steller was able to find help through ACA International’s Alliance ACA Program, which connects members with business resources they need and within a budget that makes sense for small-business owners. 

As ACA International continues to monitor ongoing developments with COVID-19 to keep members in the know about resources for small businesses and licensing and compliance changes, CEO Mark Neeb connected with Jon Goldman, CEO of Turning Point and Brand Launcher, to talk about guiding your business in a time of crisis with positive, actionable steps.

Mergers and acquisitions are a hot topic in the accounts receivable management industry, making it important to stay in the know on the latest trends and “tricks of the trade,” explain Kaulkin Ginsberg’s President and CEO Mike Ginsberg and Vice President Michael Thomas on this week’s ACA Cast: “Valuation is in the Eye of the Buyer.”

This week’s episode of ACA Cast features a compliance overview of two cases resulting from consumer claims on medical debt collection.

First, Compliance Analysts Andrew Pavlik and Laura Dadd dive into Rhone v. Medical Business Bureau LLC, which resulted in a significant win for the accounts receivable management industry when the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals threw out a lower court’s decision and ruled that the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act does not require multiple debts owed to the same creditor to be aggregated when reported to a consumer reporting agency.

In the second case, Alleman v. Collection Professionals, Inc., a consumer claimed a “service fee” of $3 that was added to a medical debt by the debt collector’s online payment processing company violated the FDCPA.

Learn the latest in how due diligence can go a long way in managing litigation risk from established industry experts on this week’s ACA Cast in conjunction with the upcoming Hot Topic seminar March 5.

Porter Heath Morgan IV, general counsel at Morgan Financial Group and partner at Malone Frost Martin PLLC, and Shannon Smith, founder at LitLogic, talk with ACA Cast producer Alex Szeto about practical advice to expect during the seminar, set for 2 to 3 p.m. Central Standard Time March 5.

On this episode of ACA Cast, host Anne Rosso May, managing editor of Collector magazine, talks with Williams & Fudge Inc. Director of Training Greg Ruffino about all things tax season.

Ruffino presents tax season strategies that accounts receivable management industry professionals can use to help consumers pay down their debt.