I am owed $7,000 dollars from a contract that has been outstanding for a little over 90 days. I''ve tried to give them some time but I must now seek help. What should I do first? Hire a lawyer? Do it myself? I really don''t know how to collect it.

If you do not know how to collect the debt it is not a good idea to handle the issue yourself unless you believe the individual or company can pay in the immediate future. Many attorneys offer free initial consultations.  You may want to speak with a local attorney to discuss what your options are, and how best to collect on the debt. This is not intended to be legal advice, and is general in its nature. No attorney-client relationship exists or is formed by this information. Furthermore, this does not represent the views or opinions of LexisNexis or its affiliated companies.