a collection agency

There is no legal requirement for a collection agency to allow you to submit a payment plan.  Most, however, will try to work with you. You may want to speak with a local consumer rights attorney.  There are various federal, local, and state consumer protection statutes that may protect your rights and a local consumer rights attorney will be able to determine which laws apply. Most consumer rights attorneys offer free initial consultations to determine what options are available. 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.