Legal Question in Credit and Debt Law in Massachusetts

Re: credit card lien

Certainly a payment plan can be mutually agreed upon by the parties pursuant to a stipulated ( or "agreed upon") judgment. I would enlist the assistance of a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction who is skilled at negotiating settlement agreements of this nature. Please feel free to contact my office for a free initial consult based upon the facts of your specific situation.;))

Re: credit card lien

I would not give the plaintiff a dime until the case has been reviewed by an attorney. At a minimum, you should file an answer and demand discovery to verify that the debt is even collectible.

At that point, you are in a much better position to bargain a settlement with the plaintiff, even an amount less than what you owe. Whatever you do, don't just give them a judgment against you for the whole amount. A judgment will further damage your credit, accrue compound judgment interest at 12%, and they will subtract the costs of collection from each payment.

A homestead declaration will not prevent an attachment/judgment lien of your home, it will only prevent the forced sale of your home to satisfy the judgment lien.

I assist clients with consumer debt collection cases. Please feel free to contact my office should you have any further questions.

Re: credit card lien

Retain an attorney to defend you to determine if they are entitled to a judgment and whether a settlement can be negotiated to avoid it. Good Luck!