I owe about 7k to Discover, and they sent my account to their in-house collections, Zwicker & Associates. I already know I messed up by letting it get this far, but I had zero money to pay them until recently. I called Discover today, and they transferred me to Zwicker.
The guy on the phone was nice but firm. He told me they wouldn’t do a payment plan unless I put down 3k by 2/28. I told him that was impossible since I’m a stay-at-home mom and can only afford about $200 a month. He then lowered it to $1500 but still way too much for me.
After the call, I went on their website and set up a $215/month plan over 32 payments. I got a confirmation email, so I guess it worked.
My concern is, will they honor this payment plan, or could they still take me to court? The guy on the phone made it seem like a lump sum was the only option, which has me worried. Has anyone here dealt with Zwicker before?
@Jade
If they try to take you to court, make sure to show up. A judge will set up a payment plan you can actually afford, and they’ll have to deal with it.
Rowan said: @Jade
If they try to take you to court, make sure to show up. A judge will set up a payment plan you can actually afford, and they’ll have to deal with it.
Good to know! I’ll keep an eye out for any court papers, just in case.
Sounds like a typical experience. Zwicker sent me a summons out of nowhere. When I called to set up a payment plan, they demanded 33% upfront. I told them about financial hardship, and they knocked 17% off my total balance, but the upfront payment didn’t change. I had to pay it, and now I’m stuck making monthly payments… no other choice.
I’m dealing with them too. They offered to settle for 40% of what I owed if I paid it in two payments. Gave me the same 2/28 deadline and said the amount would go up in March. Honestly, compared to other collectors, they weren’t that bad. Hope it works out for you!
@Dara
That’s awesome! They didn’t offer me a settlement, but they did say my balance stopped getting interest/fees. Maybe that’s why? Or maybe Discover just wants the whole 7k.
Jade said: @Dara
That’s awesome! They didn’t offer me a settlement, but they did say my balance stopped getting interest/fees. Maybe that’s why? Or maybe Discover just wants the whole 7k.
I originally asked if they’d take 25%, and they countered with 40%. Might be worth asking them.
Vine said:
Just wondering, how long did they wait before sending your account to collections? I owe them 5k and I’m saving up for bankruptcy.
My last payment was around late summer/early fall 2023. Discover called a few times, but I had no money, so I ignored them. Eventually, they stopped, and I assume that’s when they handed it over to Zwicker. I never got a letter from Zwicker—only found out they had my account when I called Discover and they transferred me.
They’ll probably stick to the payment plan, but just be careful. Their collectors are trained to push for big lump sums because they get bonuses for it.
Some things that might help:
Call them and ask if they can lower the interest rate. Even dropping from 30% to 20% can make a difference.
Making multiple payments a month instead of one big payment can lower how much interest you rack up. If you get paid weekly, try making smaller payments each week.
Always pay online instead of mailing checks. It posts faster and avoids delays from weekends or holidays.
If your due date isn’t lining up with your pay schedule, ask if they can move it.