The Debt Seller's FAQs: Your Top Questions Answered by an Expert Broker ​

Get answers to the most common questions about debt buying and starting a collection agency. Learn the steps, strategies, and insider tips to succeed in the debt collection industry.

The Debt Seller's FAQ: The Definitive Protocol for Selling Uncollectible Accounts

The Debt Seller's FAQ

Amateurs search for answers. Professionals require a definitive protocol. This is not a generic FAQ page. It is the industry's core knowledge base for lenders, banks, and fintechs on the strategic liquidation of non-performing assets.

Phase I: Strategic & Valuation Inquiries

How do non-performing loans impact our balance sheet?

They are not just an impact; they are a cancer. They suppress your lending capacity, increase compliance costs under CECL, and signal financial weakness. The protocol is not to manage them, but to excise them via a strategic sale, converting a cancerous liability into immediate, productive capital.

What is the true value of our uncollectible accounts receivable?

Its value is a mathematical certainty, not an opinion. It is a function of asset class, age, data integrity, and chain of title. An amateur hopes for a good price. A professional executes a protocol to package the asset in a way that commands its maximum possible value from the market.


Phase II: Solution & Process Inquiries

What is the process for selling bad debt?

It is a four-phase military operation: 1. Assemble an ironclad documentation dossier. 2. Issue a formal final demand. 3. Engage a specialist debt broker to create a competitive market. 4. Execute a compliant, seamless asset transfer. Any other process is a guarantee of leaving money on the table.

When is the right time to sell our unpaid debts?

The moment they require resources that could be better deployed on your core business. For most lenders, this is between 90-180 days past due. For assets you deem "uncollectible," the time to sell was yesterday. Every day you hold a dead asset, you are paying for the privilege of losing money.


Phase III: Buyer & Counterparty Inquiries

Who are the debt portfolio buyers for specific assets?

The market is stratified. Auto portfolios require buyers who understand vehicle recovery. Medical receivables demand buyers who are masters of HIPAA. A broker's mandate is to match your specific asset to the high-capital specialist who values it most, not to hawk it at a flea market. We command a network of these specialists.

Is there a market for Bankruptcy or Probate receivables?

Yes, for specialists. This is not debt collection; it is a legal recovery operation. The buyers are not agencies; they are law firms and specialty funds that command the intricacies of the court system. Selling these assets requires a broker who can navigate this complex legal battlefield.

What is Tertiary / Quaternary Paper and is it worthless?

It is not worthless, but its value is in the data, not the face value. This deep-distress paper has been worked and re-sold multiple times. Amateurs see it as exhausted. Professionals with superior data analytics can find latent value and execute recovery at a profit. Only elite, data-driven funds operate in this territory.

How do we sell specialized B2B or SaaS receivables?

This is not consumer paper. The leverage is not a credit score; it is corporate survival and the termination of essential services. The buyers are commercial finance specialists who understand business litigation. The valuation is based on the debtor's operational dependency, not their payment history. A different war requires a different weapon.

Why use a debt portfolio broker?

Because a direct sale is an act of surrender. A broker is a weapon. We manufacture a competitive, confidential auction among vetted, high-capital funds. This reverses the power dynamic and forces the market to compete for your asset. It is the only protocol for achieving maximum price.


Phase IV: Advanced Execution Inquiries

What is a forward-flow agreement for a fintech lender?

It is your path to market dominance. For a fast-growing fintech, it is a non-negotiable strategic weapon. You secure a guaranteed exit for your future charge-offs at a pre-agreed price, ensuring predictable liquidity. It allows you to focus on origination, not disposition. It is the end of competing in the open market.

What is a debt portfolio joint venture (JV)?

It is a strategic alliance, not a simple sale. You, the seller, contribute the portfolio. A specialist partner contributes the operational capital and collection expertise. You retain an equity stake, participating in the upside. It is the protocol for high-value portfolios where you believe significant untapped value exists.