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two verizon accounts, one in collections...

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baker10

Member
My husband and I have a Verizon cell phone account that we intend to keep and have been paying on. Shortly after we signed on for our accounts, my husband opened one for our daughter in his name. She ended up losing her job and was unable to pay the bill and it has gone to a collection agency, Allied Interstate. We do not have the money to pay ours and hers. We would like to have hers discharged in the bankruptcy, but don't know how that will affect ours seeing as they are both in my husband's name. Can they cancel our active account if the other inactive account is discharged? We are in Ohio. Thanks!
 


bdancer

Member
Chances are all of your cell phones will be disconnected as soon as the bankruptcy notice goes out to Verizon. At least that's what Verizon did to a friend when they filed, even tho the account had been paid in full in a timely manner. To get reconnected, my friend had to get the account in someone else's name.
 

baker10

Member
I appreciate your response. I hate to hear that though. My husband's cell number is on his business card and he gets a lot of calls. I was hoping that since one was at a collection agency, it wouldn't affect the one that isn't.
 

Ladynred

Senior Member
If you file on Verizon, they may very well cancel all accounts in your name. Since you are required to include ALL debts in your BK, you cannot leave them out. Can he get another carrier and keep his same number ???
 

baker10

Member
I wish we could. I think our credit is shot already. I know that we can't afford to pay a large deposit either.

When you say that we have to include all of our debts, I guess I misunderstand some of this. I didn't include other phone bills or utility bills that we pay other than in the questionaire as monthly expenses. I just thought that since the cell phone bill was at a collection agency that it could be reported separately and we don't have to include the Verizon account that my husband and I use if it's active and current. I guess I will have to include them though if that's the law. I'll be talking to my lawyer in a few weeks to officially file. So I can get this straightened out. My husband is not going to be too happy if he loses his cell phone. Thanks again!
 

Ladynred

Senior Member
Ok. Let me clarify.

The Verizon bill that is in collections is a debt, you must include that one.
The active and up-to-date account isn't technically a debt, and it IS an expense, one you list with the rest of your expenses like electric and cable and such.

You may get lucky, they may leave your active account alone but you should probably be researching other options just in case they do pull the rug out from under you.
 

baker10

Member
Thank you Ladynred. That's what I assumed the situation to be. I will discuss this with my lawyer further. She has been practicing bankruptcy for several years and I would imagine (hope) that she has experience with this scenario. I was mainly asking here and now because I wasn't sure whether to refer the collection agency to my lawyer when they call about the account. I guess I'll just not answer the phone. I've had plenty of practice doing that lately! Hopefully, there won't be too many nasty surprises, but I know that it's not neccessarily the easy way out. Thanks!
 

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