Questions to ask a collection agency before you sign
Questions to ask a collection agency before you sign: what it charges and when fees change, whether it is licensed and bonded, which associations it belongs to, how it contacts customers, how it reports, how fast it remits money, what legal action costs, and what happens if you withdraw an account. Get every answer in writing.
Questions to ask a collection agency: the checklist
- Fees: What is your contingency rate for an account like mine, and does it change with age, size or legal action? Are there any upfront or minimum fees?
- Licensing and bonding: Are you licensed and bonded where required, including the debtor’s state?
- Associations: Are you a member of the IACC or ACA International, or CLLA-certified? Can I verify it?
- Approach: How will you contact my customer, and how do you protect my reputation?
- Coverage: What areas and industries do you cover? How far will you go on a typical account?
- Reporting: How and how often will you report progress?
- Funds: How are collected funds held, and how fast will I be paid?
- Legal: Who are your attorneys in the debtor’s state, and what does suit cost?
- Exit: What happens if I withdraw an account?
How do you verify the answers?
Check state licensing records where they exist, ask for references, and confirm association membership or certification in the group’s directory. Read our partner standards and the full guide to hiring a collection agency.
Get matched: agency, attorney, AI or certified firm
Tell us about the unpaid invoice and choose a preferred option, or let us recommend one: AI/automated collection, a collection attorney, a collection agency (local or national), or an IACC member, CLLA-certified or ACA International member agency. Matching is free, and nothing is placed until you approve a partner’s written terms.
Prefer email? Write to info@smallbizdebtcollection.com.
Frequently asked questions
Should I sign an exclusive agreement?
Read it carefully. Ask how long the agency keeps an account, whether you can withdraw it and what fee applies if the customer pays you directly.
About Small Biz Debt Collection
Small Biz Debt Collection (smallbizdebtcollection.com) is a free matching service that connects U.S. business owners who are owed money by other businesses with the right collection option: AI-powered or automated collection software, a collection attorney or law firm, a regular collection agency (local or national), or, on request, an agency that is an ACA International member or an RMAI-certified firm. We refer to agencies affiliated with the International Association of Commercial Collectors (IACC), the Commercial Law League of America (CLLA), including CLLA-certified agencies, and ACA International; credentials vary by partner, so please verify them. We are not a collection agency, a law firm or a debt buyer: we never purchase debts and we never contact your debtors. Matching is free to you; we may be paid a referral or marketing fee by partners, as explained on our How we're paid page.
Sources: IACC, “Commercial Collection Guidelines for Credit Grantors” (2018); CLLA Certified Agencies, certification program page (accessed Oct 18, 2026).
Owed money by another business?
Tell us about the unpaid invoice and we’ll match you with an experienced collection partner suited to its size, age and location. Matching is free.
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