Drowning in debt and wondering if you can actually negotiate with debt buyers? The answer is yes, but only if you communicate. In this episode of The Debt Hotline, George Simons sits down with Yale Levy, a seasoned attorney and former debt collector with nearly three decades of experience, to reveal the insider secrets of negotiating with debt buyers.

Debt buyers purchase charged-off debt portfolios from banks for around 4% of the original amount, then try to collect the full balance from consumers. If you're being contacted by a company you've never heard of, they probably bought your old debt from the original creditor. Yale shares what he learned from decades in collections and why the number one rule for consumers is simple: communicate, don't hide.

In this week's episode of The Debt Hotline, you'll learn:

• Why communication is the #1 factor in successful debt negotiations
• How to handle $150,000 in credit card debt when you're still current on payments
• What happens when your spouse passes away and leaves debt behind
• Why "pay for delete" is largely a myth that doesn't work with major collectors
• How Social Security income can protect you from debt collection
• What to do when settlement offers disappear due to missed deadlines

Yale and George tackle real listener questions, including advice for someone with $150,000 in IT income facing massive credit card debt, a widow on Social Security worried about inherited debt, and consumers frustrated by settlement offers that kept increasing due to missed deadlines.Here are some important tips if you're dealing with debt buyers:

• Debt buyers purchased your debt for pennies on the dollar, giving you leverage in negotiations
• Social Security income is generally protected from garnishment
• Settlement offers have real deadlines and missing them often means starting over at higher amounts
• "Pay for delete" violates credit reporting rules and major collectors won't honor these requests
• Payment plans typically require $100+ monthly, sometimes extending up to 5 years
• Even with limited assets, you can often negotiate settlements for pennies on the dollar

Whether you're dealing with Midland Funding, Portfolio Recovery, or any other debt buyer, this episode gives you practical strategies to communicate effectively, negotiate settlements, and avoid the biggest mistakes that cost consumers thousands. Solo can help you respond to debt lawsuits properly and SoloSettle makes debt negotiation straightforward—no awkward phone calls required.To submit a question to The Debt Hotline, you can:

• Call 801-613-8181 and leave a voicemail
• Fill out this form: https://forms.gle/28gd4XFsq6ybN4Qu8
• Send an email to support@solosuit.com