How to Resolve a Debt with Lockhart Collection Agency

Hannah Locklear | August 22, 2023

Hannah Locklear
Editor at SoloSuit
Hannah Locklear, BA

Hannah Locklear is SoloSuit’s Marketing and Impact Manager. With an educational background in Linguistics, Spanish, and International Development from Brigham Young University, Hannah has also worked as a legal support specialist for several years.

Summary: If Lockhart Collection Agency is contacting you about a debt, SoloSuit is here to help you resolve it, whether it’s through debt validation, responding to your debt lawsuit, or settling the debt before your court date.

Debt collection is never a pleasant experience. Yet, if you've received a notice from Lockhart Collection Agency or any other debt collection agency, it's essential to address the situation promptly and professionally.

Keep reading to learn how to resolve your debt.

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What is Lockhart Collection Agency?

Lockhart Collection Agency, formally known as Lockhart, Morris & Montgomery, Inc., is a debt collection agency and debt buyer based in Texas.

Lockhart Collection Agency is accredited by the Better Business Bureau with an A+ rating. Despite its positive BBB rating, Lockhart, Morris & Montgomery, Inc. has received hundreds of complaints on its BBB page and even more complaints submitted to the Consumer Financial Protection Burea’s consumer complaint database.

Most of these complaints mention Lockhart’s failure to validate a debt upon request and contacting consumers about debts they don’t actually owe.

What does Lockhart, Morris & Montgomery, Inc. do?

Here are some of the services Lockhart Collection Agency performs:

  • Third-party consumer collections: Companies can hire Lockhart to contact consumers on their behalf in order to collect a debt.
  • Early out collections: Lockhart contacts people are soon as they fall behind on their payments or as soon as they owe a debt (i.e. medical debts, etc).
  • Third-party commercial services: Companies can hire Lockhart to contact other companies to collect a debt on their behalf.
  • Legal outsourcing: If a company is having a hard time collecting a debt, Lockhart can help connect them to legal services to take legal action on the matter.
  • Late-stage collections: Lockhart also helps with debts that are several years old.
  • Receivables purchases: Lockhart purchases old debts from creditors at a huge discount from the original debt amounts so that creditors can still make some sort of profit.

So, in other words, Lockhart Collection Agency may have purchased your old debt from your original creditor and paid a small portion compared to the amount you actually owed. As such, before making any payment, you should:

  • Confirm the debt is yours. It's not uncommon for agencies to contact the wrong person or for debts to be mistakenly assigned.
  • Check the statute of limitations. Debts have an expiration date, and you might not be legally obligated to pay if the debt is too old.

The best way to do these things is through debt validation.

Lockhart, Morris & Montgomery, Inc validate your debt

First and foremost, don't panic. Remember, there are laws that protect consumers from abusive debt collection practices, like the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). Familiarize yourself with these regulations to know your rights. One of these rights is debt validation.

When Lockhart, Morris & Montgomery, Inc first contacts you about a debt, they must verify that the debt is legit. If they don’t do this, you should formally request a validation by sending a Debt Validation Letter.

Below is the contact information for Lockhart Collection Agency.

Address: 1401 N Central Expressway Suite 225, Richardson, TX 75080
Phone: 877-214-3355

Respond to your debt lawsuit

If you get sued for medical debt, the first step you should take is to respond to the lawsuit before your state’s deadline. To respond to a debt lawsuit, you have to draft and file an Answer into the case. In your Answer, you should:

  • Respond to each claim against you.
  • Assert your affirmative defenses.

SoloSuit can help you draft and file a customized Answer to your debt lawsuit in minutes and increase your chances of winning. Our software helps you create a personalized response to your debt case. All you have to do is respond to a series of questions about your case, and an Answer document will be generated for you.

Your Answer will be properly formatted, contain appropriate legal language, address all the claims against you, and include a section for your affirmative defenses.

To learn more about how to respond to a debt collection lawsuit in your state, read our guide: How to Answer a Summons for Debt Collection - The Ultimate 50 State Guide

Settle your debt with Lockhart Collection Agency

Many collection agencies, including Lockhart Collection Agency, are open to negotiation. They'd rather collect a portion of the debt than nothing at all. This is where you might:

  • Settle for a lesser amount. Offer a lump sum that's lower than the total debt. Sometimes agencies will accept this.
  • Arrange a payment plan. If you can't pay in one go, they might be open to monthly installments.

In a debt settlement, you offer your creditor a portion of the total amount due, usually at least 60% of the debt’s value. In exchange for a lump-sum payment, the creditor agrees to drop its legal claims against you and release you from the remaining balance.

If you decide to settle your obligation, you’ll want to ensure you get the terms of your agreement in writing and pay the creditor before your court date. If you’ve never tried debt settlement before, consider working with a professional organization that will guide you through the process.

While it might be tempting to avoid calls from Lockhart Collection Agency, it's more productive to have an open line of communication. Explain your situation, be it financial hardship or a genuine lack of awareness about the debt.

To learn more about how to settle a debt with Lockhart Collection Agency, check out this video:

SoloSettle, powered by SoloSuit, is a tech-based approach to debt settlement. Our software helps you send and receive settlement offers until you reach an agreement with the collector. Once an agreement is reached, we’ll help you manage the settlement documentation and transfer your payment to the creditor or debt collector, helping you keep your financial information private and secure.

Pay your settlement and check your credit report

Once you've reached a settlement agreement with Lockhart Collection, it’s crucial that you stay true to your word. Failing to abide by the terms of your agreement could lead to even worse legal issues.

To pay off your debt, use a method that provides a paper trail, like checks or bank transfers. Avoid sending cash or using wire services. Always get a receipt or confirmation of your payment.

After settling, it's a good idea to monitor your credit report to ensure that the debt is appropriately marked as paid or settled. If the collection agency doesn't update the status, you have proof to challenge it.

You can resolve your debt at any stage of the collections process

After resolving your debt with Lockhart Collection Agency, take steps to avoid future debt-related complications. This might involve creating a budget, seeking financial advice, or setting up reminders for bill payments.

In conclusion, while receiving a notice from a collection agency can be unsettling, SoloSuit is here to help you resolve your debt with Lockhart, Morris & Montgomery, Inc., whether it’s through debt validation, responding to your debt lawsuit, or settling the debt before your court date.

No matter what stage of the debt collection process you find yourself, SoloSuit is rooting for you and knows how to help.

What is SoloSuit?

SoloSuit makes it easy to fight debt collectors.

You can use SoloSuit to respond to a debt lawsuit, to send letters to collectors, and even to settle a debt.

SoloSuit's Answer service is a step-by-step web-app that asks you all the necessary questions to complete your Answer. Upon completion, we'll have an attorney review your document and we'll file it for you.

>>Read the FastCompany article: Debt Lawsuits Are Complicated: This Website Makes Them Simpler To Navigate

>>Read the NPR story on SoloSuit. (We can help you in all 50 states.)

How to Answer a Summons for debt collection in all 50 states

Here's a list of guides on how to respond to a debt collection lawsuit in each state:

The Ultimate 50 State Guide

Debt collector guides

Are you being contacted by a debt collector? We’re making guides on how to resolve debt with each one.

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If the thought of going to court stresses you out, you’re not alone. Many Americans who are sued for credit card debt utilize a Motion to Compel Arbitration to push their case out of court and into arbitration.

Below are some resources on how to use an arbitration clause to your advantage and win a debt lawsuit.

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Check your case status

Don’t have time to go to your local courthouse to check the status of your case? We’ve created state guides on how to check the status of your case throughout the US, complete with online search tools and court directories.

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Debt has a big impact on your credit. Below is a list of guides on how to repair and improve your credit, even while managing major debt, along with other credit-related resources.

Debt collection FAQs

Find answers to some of our the most commonly-asked questions about debt collection below.

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If you're dealing with debt, these documents and templates will help you respond, protect your rights, negotiate, and resolve your debts.

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Debt settlement is one of the most effective ways to resolve a debt and save money. We’ve created state guides on debt settlement. Find out how to settle in your state with a simple click and explore other debt settlement resources below.

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Knowing your rights makes it easier to stand up for your rights. Below, we’ve compiled all our articles on federal debt collection laws that protect you from unfair practices.

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State debt collection laws

Debt collection laws vary by state, so we have compiled a guide to each state’s debt collection laws to make it easier for you to stand up for your rights—no matter where you live.

Statute of limitations on debt

Like all debt collection laws, the statute of limitations on debt varies by state. So, we wrote guides on each state’s statutes and more.

Stop collection calls

Do you keep getting calls from an unknown number, only to realize that it’s a debt collector on the other line? If you’ve been called by any of the following numbers, chances are you have collectors coming after you, and we’ll tell you how to stop them.

Wage garnishment

Forgot to respond to your debt lawsuit? The judge may have ordered a default judgment against you, and with a default judgment, debt collectors can garnish your wages. Here are our guides on how to stop wage garnishment in your state, plus other wage garnishment resources.

The Debt Hotline

Hosted by Team Solo, The Debt Hotline breaks down debt and personal finance topics with help from attorneys, financial experts, and industry pros. We respond to real questions to help you navigate debt with knowledge and courage.

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