Issue Area
Debt Collection
Debt Collection
Debt collection complaints are prevalent at the state and national level, and range from harassment and wrongful threats of criminal charges to persistent efforts to collect debts not owed by the consumer. Many Texans are impacted by debt collection issues. According to the Urban Institute, 33 percent of Texans with credit files had non-mortgage debt in debt collection in 2025. And in fiscal year 2025, over 450,000 cases were filed in Texas courts to collect some form of debt. Texas Appleseed is focused on curbing unfair practices in the debt collection process and modernizing state wage protection laws, so that Texans can repay old debts without being thrown into renewed financial hardship. We are also working to ensure Texans know their rights under federal and state debt collection laws.
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Key Statistics
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9 out of 10
Based on a study examining debt collection lawsuits in Justice Courts in Harris County, nearly 9 out of 10 Texans sued for a debt lose their case, with 75% of those losses due to a default judgment.
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100%
Texans stand out nationally, with no debt collection protections for money deposited in a bank account. Though the state constitution protects wages from being taken by a debt collector, once they are deposited into an account, 100% of funds are often seized, leaving families in a renewed financial crisis for an old debt judgment.
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7,946
The number of Texans who submitted debt collection complaints to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in 2023. The number of complaints increased by 18% from 2022 to 2023.