How to Make Payment Arrangements on Your Judgment

If you have a judgment against you for a debt owed, then you need to begin making payments. Some judgments will include the payment structure while others might just state the amount owed and leave it up to you to make payment arrangements. Regardless, you can still try to establish a reasonable payment structure with the creditor. Here are a few suggestions of how to make arrangements for payment on your judgment.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Cooperative attitude

How to make payment arrangements on your judgment

1. Be cooperative. Meet with the creditor and try to work out an amenable payment plan, one that allows the payment to be paid yet is not over-taxing for you.
2. If this doesn’t work out, then go to the courthouse and arrange an appointment for mediation whereby all your financial details are laid out and payment plans can be established through a court mediator. These payments would be considered an order on consent.
3. You can go to court and sit before a judge in what is called a “debtor examination” hearing. This is where you would lay out all your personal financial business, listing all your income and expenses and the judge would determine a payment plan that is suitable for your situation. The judge's decision would be considered a court order.

Tips & Warnings

• If you fail to cooperate, the creditor has alternative methods for payment available to them, which can include garnishing your wages. You would have no control over this and it could turn out to cost you more each month than you want to pay.