What Happens When a Debt Is Written off?

When a credit card company writes off a debt, it will typically sell it—usually for pennies on the dollar—to a collection agency or other debt collector. Then the collection agency can come after you to collect the debt. Debt collectors make money by squeezing more payments out of you than what they paid for the debt.

Should I pay a debt that has been written off?

As long as your charge-off remains unpaid, you're still legally obligated to pay back the amount you owe. Even when a company writes off your debt as a loss for its own accounting purposes, it still has the right to pursue collection.

Should I pay charged off accounts?

While a charge-off means that your creditor has reported your debt as a loss, it doesn't mean you're off the hook. You should pay charged-off accounts as well as you can. "The debt is still the consumer's legal responsibility, even if the creditor has stopped trying to collect on it directly," says Tayne.