How to Resolve Debt with Coast Professional and Win

You just learned your debt entered collections with Coast Professional. You may feel stressed, confused, and uncertain about what comes next.

Take a deep breath. You have options.

Higher education institutions hire Coast Professional, Inc. for debt collection services. These debts include tuition, parking fines, auxiliary accounts, and other campus obligations.

You can end collection calls sooner or settle the debt for less. Working with the company to reach a settlement agreement is your best path forward. Our partner Solo helps you communicate with Coast Professional and respond to debt collection lawsuits.

What Is Coast Professional?

Coast Professional, Inc. is a debt collection agency specializing in government collections. The company serves hundreds of universities, campuses, cities, states, and counties.

With over 200 clients, Coast Professional operates as a full-service receivable management company. Their focus is collecting debts for colleges, universities, and government entities.

Here is Coast Professional’s contact information:

• Phone: (318)-807-4500
• Toll-free: (800)-231-0225
• Email: info@coastprofessional.com
• Website: Coast Professional, Inc.
• Address: 4273 Volunteer Road, Geneseo, NY 14454

Who Does Coast Professional Collect For?

Coast Professional collects government debts including:

• Federal, state, and local government debts
• Overpayments
• Licensing fees
• Taxes
• Court fines and fees
• Toll-related fines and balances
• Other government-related obligations

Coast Professional also collects for colleges and universities:

• NDSL/Federal Perkins Loan Program
• GSL/Stafford Loan Program
• Health Professions Student Loans
• Primary Care Loans
• Institutional Loan Portfolios
• Tuition and student receivable accounts
• Parking fines
• Accounts receivables
• Other campus-based debt

Contact Coast Professional to find out who sent them your debt.

Your Rights Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) prohibits abusive debt collection practices. Debt collectors cannot use deceptive, unfair, or harassing tactics to collect from you.

Abusive debt collection practices contribute to:

• Personal bankruptcy
• Relationship instability
• Job losses
• Privacy invasions

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) explained its Debt Collection Rule in November 2021. The rule clarifies how creditors can contact you and what they must disclose.

You have the right to request debt validation. You can dispute debts you don’t recognize. You can also tell collectors to stop contacting you.

How to Respond to a Coast Professional Lawsuit

Coast Professional must prove it has legal standing to sue you. The company must demonstrate how the debt was transferred to them.

Without evidence of the chain of custody, the creditor cannot sue. Ask for the original signed agreement and the alleged balance before they sue.

Send a Debt Validation Letter demanding proof. Coast Professional cannot take you to court if the debt remains unvalidated.

If Coast Professional files a lawsuit, you must respond with a written Answer. You have a limited time based on your state’s deadline.

Use these four steps to respond to your Coast Professional lawsuit:

1. Answer each claim listed in the Complaint
2. Assert your affirmative defenses
3. File your Answer with the court and send a copy to Coast Professional
4. Monitor your court case until it’s resolved

Below, we explore each step in detail.

Step 1: Answer Each Claim in the Complaint

A default judgment happens if you don’t respond quickly. The court will rule in Coast Professional’s favor automatically.

You can avoid a default judgment. File an “Answer” with the court after receiving the Summons and Complaint.

The Summons notifies you of the lawsuit. The Complaint lists the specific claims Coast Professional makes against you.

Your Answer should respond to each numbered claim. Use the same numbering system for your responses.

Respond to each claim with one of these answers:

• Admit
• Deny
• Deny due to lack of knowledge

Deny as many claims as possible. Denial requires Coast Professional to prove their allegations with evidence.

If they can’t prove it, they have no case. When you deny a claim, you’re saying “Prove it.”

Our partner Solo helps you respond to your debt lawsuit in minutes.

Step 2: Assert Your Affirmative Defenses

The second section of your Answer covers affirmative defenses. An affirmative defense explains why Coast Professional doesn’t have a valid case.

Here are the most common defenses:

• Statute of Limitations: The claim was filed after your state’s deadline expired
• Lack of Privity: No valid contract exists between you and Coast Professional
• Invalid Assignment: The debt was improperly transferred to the third party

You can use dozens of affirmative defenses to strengthen your case. Ensure you have facts supporting any defenses you assert.

Our partner Solo helps you list affirmative defenses with proper legal wording.

Step 3: File Your Answer and Send a Copy

After preparing your Answer, file it by the deadline. You can mail your Answer to the court.

With professional help, an attorney reviews your Answer before filing. Legal support specialists handle the filing process for you.

Make two extra copies. Send one to Coast Professional and keep one for your records.

Here’s a real example: John was sued by a debt collector. He used professional help to respond to the lawsuit.

In his Answer document, John denied most claims and listed strong affirmative defenses. An attorney reviewed his documents before filing.

A few weeks later, John’s case was dismissed.

Step 4: Monitor Your Court Case

Coast Professional may drop the lawsuit after you establish they cannot verify the debt. They might also drop it after you reach a settlement agreement.

You must track the lawsuit until it’s resolved. Respond to any court requests for information. Show up for any hearings scheduled.

Your responsibility continues until the matter is completely resolved.

How to Settle Your Debt with Coast Professional

Debt collection agencies want to recoup their original investment plus profit. The profit margin typically ranges between 25% and 50%.

You can still settle the case favorably by following these steps:

1. Evaluate your finances to determine your settlement offer amount
2. Contact Coast Professional with your settlement offer in writing
3. Prepare for negotiations and counteroffers
4. Request a written settlement agreement outlining all terms
5. Make the payment on time

Calculate your income minus expenses. Consider additional resources you could tap into for the settlement.

Do you have personal items to sell for cash? Do you have rainy-day savings? Now might be the right time to use those resources.

Coast Professional will likely respond with a higher counteroffer. Don’t get discouraged by negotiations.

Once you reach an agreement, get everything in writing. The settlement agreement should outline payment terms, the due date, and debt satisfaction language.

A one-time lump sum settlement convinces Coast Professional to accept your offer. The debt collector will close the account after payment.

The account appears on your credit report as settled rather than paid in full. However, you’re out of debt and can start fresh.

Settled debt has less impact on your credit than delinquent debt.

Coast Professional Reviews Online

Consumer opinions about Coast Professional vary. Some recommend the company, while others don’t.

Many consumers leave reviews online. You can read these to learn more about the company.

Find Coast Professional reviews on:

• The Better Business Bureau website
• The CFPB consumer complaint database

Reading reviews helps you understand what to expect. You’ll see patterns in how Coast Professional handles accounts and negotiations.