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How to Settle Debt With CMRE Financial Services

George Simons | January 28, 2025

Fact-checked by Patrick Austin, J.D.

Patrick Austin
Attorney from George Mason
Patrick Austin, JD

Patrick Austin is a licensed attorney with a background in data privacy and information security law. Patrick received his law degree at George Mason University's Antonin Scalia Law School, where he served as the Editor-in-Chief for the National Security Law Journal.

George Simons
Co-Founder of SoloSuit
George Simons, JD/MBA

George Simons is the co-founder and CEO of SoloSuit. He has helped Americans protect over $1 billion from predatory debt lawsuits. George graduated from BYU Law school in 2020 with a JD-MBA. In his spare time, George likes to cook, because he likes to eat.

Edited by Hannah Locklear

Hannah Locklear
Editor at SoloSuit
Hannah Locklear, BA

Hannah Locklear is SoloSuit’s Marketing and Impact Manager. With an educational background in Linguistics, Spanish, and International Development from Brigham Young University, Hannah has also worked as a legal support specialist for several years.

Summary: Is CMRE Financial Services suing you for a debt? SoloSuit can help you engage with the company and resolve your debt issue.

If you are receiving phone calls, emails, social media messages, letters, etc. by a debt collector with CMRE Financial Services, it is perfectly understandable to feel stressed, frustrated and anxious about the future. CMRE Financial Services, like many other debt collection companies, are focused on trying to collect what is owed.

Don’t ignore CMRE debt collectors. Rather, establish a line of communication and take steps to reach a resolution to the debt collection matter. In this article, Solo tells you everything you should know about CMRE Financial Services and how to engage with them to resolve your debt issue.

Settle debt with CMRE Financial Services

You can negotiate debt settlement at any stage of the collections process. SoloSettle makes it easy.

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What is CMRE Financial Services?

CMRE Financial Services is a debt collection agency based in Brea, California. The company has been collecting debts since 1974.

Who does CMRE Financial Services collect for?

CMRE Financial Services describes itself as a “collection and accounts receivable management service for the healthcare industry.” Basically, this means that CMRE Financial Services collects for healthcare companies and medical providers, focusing primarily on collecting unpaid medical debt.

Read CMRE Financial Services reviews online

If you are looking for intel regarding people’s interactions with CMRE Financial, then online reviews are a good resource. Below are CMRE Financial Services reviews on Google and Better Business Bureau:

It’s fair to say the online reviews of CMRE Financial Services are up and down. Some reviews are negative while others are generally positive. This is perfectly normal since everyone is different and their interactions with CMRE Financial Services will largely depend on their particular circumstances. Take, for example, a review from a consumer named Alison:

“Got a letter from them saying some medical debt had been sent to their collections agency. I called and spoke to Marlene, who was very helpful and polite. Was able to set up my payment plan and get the issue taken care of.”

Alison’s review is a great example of how proactive communications with CMRE Financial Services can help resolve a debt issue. Alison took the time to call the debt collector and spoke to a kind person who listened to Alison’s concerns and worked to establish a reasonable payment plan.

Of course, if the prospect of calling a debt collector to negotiate sounds like needles on a chalkboard, then consider using SoloSettle to negotiate online and resolve your debt through our innovative digital settlement platform.

Solos has a simple mission: help consumers engage with debt collectors, avoid default judgment, and legally resolve their debt. To help you and those like you, we put much time and energy into collecting vital information that can help you understand the processes associated with debt collection lawsuits. When you have this powerful information in your hands, you'll feel more in control against aggressive debt collection agencies like CMRE Financial Services.

Negotiate a debt settlement with CMRE Financial Services

If you prefer to avoid going through the stress and time-intensive litigation process associated with a debt collection lawsuit, then consider trying to negotiate a debt settlement with CMRE Financial Service. Here are some proactive steps you should consider taking to settle your debt:

Step 1: Calculate how much you can actually pay toward the amount owed

Before commencing settlement negotiations, determine how much you can actually afford to pay in a lump sum. Your analysis should take into consideration your other living expenses. If you don’t have sufficient funds to make a lump sum payment, try to calculate what you could pay in installments.

Step 2: Engage in productive settlement negotiations

Once you’ve determined how much you can repay, the next step is to try and negotiate a settlement. Start by offering a lower percentage of the total debt, typically 30% to 50% of the original amount, and be prepared to negotiate upward. If possible, offer a lump sum payment as creditors are more likely to accept a lower amount if they receive an immediate payment.

Step 3: Memorialize the settlement agreement in writing

Before making a payment toward the debt, ensure you receive a written agreement memorializing the terms of the settlement. This is known as a debt settlement agreement. The settlement agreement should also expressly state that your agreed-upon payment will settle the debt in full and that they will not pursue any further legal action or collections.

To learn more about how to settle debt with CMRE Financial Services, check out these negotiation tips and tricks from an attorney:

If you decide to engage in settlement talks, consider using smart tools to help you with the debt settlement negotiation process, like SoloSettle, which is a software that sends and receives settlement offers for you until you come to an agreement with the collector or creditor.

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Make an Offer

Know your rights when CMRE Financial Services contacts you to collect a debt

You have legal rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The FDCPA states guidelines and rules that dictate how debt collectors can act. Some of the restrictions on debt collectors include:

  • Debt collectors are not allowed to contact you at your place of employment
  • Debt collectors are prohibited from threatening you with a lawsuit
  • Debt collectors cannot contact you prior to 8:00 AM in the morning or after 9:00 PM at night.
  • Debt collectors cannot use rude or vulgar language when talking to you on the phone or in emails or texts.
  • Debt collectors cannot discuss your debt with anyone except you, your spouse, and your attorney.

Request a debt validation from CMRE Financial Services

During your communications with CMRE Financial Services debt collectors, make sure to request as much information as possible about the purported debt. Why? Because this information either will confirm the debt is yours or provide evidence that it is not actually owed by you.

First and foremost, request that CMRE Financial Services verify the debt. You can make this request by sending a debt validation letter within 30 days of initial contact with the collector. When CMRE Financial Services receives a Debt Validation Letter, they are legally required to respond with a debt validation that contains the following information about the debt:

  • Name of the original creditor
  • Original amount owed
  • Date the debt was first incurred
  • Date the debt went into collection
  • Other information that would ostensibly connect you to the amount owed.

If CMRE Financial Services fails to provide you with a letter, or if it comes back with incomplete information, it could be an indication that either the debt is not legitimate or you are not the person who owes it.

Luckily, most debt collectors would rather give up on collection efforts than spend the time, money, and resources it may take to validate a debt. Often, collection agencies like CMRE Financial Services don't have the proper documentation they need to prove a debt is valid, so they just give up at this point. To learn more about how to make and send a Debt Validation Letter, check out this video:

You can defend yourself if CMRE Financial Services files a debt lawsuit against you

If CMRE Financial Services decides to file a debt collection lawsuit against you, do not ignore the suit in the hopes it will just go away. Why? Because the lawsuit will not just magically disappear. The first step to beating CMRE Financial Services in court is to file a written Answer. Here's what you need to know.

Debt collectors employed by CMRE Financial Services generally expect people to simply ignore the lawsuit and throw it in the garbage. This accomplishes nothing, except to benefit the debt collection agency. How? Well, if you ignore the debt collection lawsuit, it means CMRE Financial Services will simply file a motion for a default judgment in court and likely get that motion granted (since you opted to just ignore the litigation).

Do not make this mistake. There are options available to take on and defeat debt collection agencies like CMRE Financial Services.

Here are some helpful tips for drafting a winning Answer:

  • Make sure to never concede that you owe the debt. Remember that CMRE Financial Services must prove under the law that you owe the debt. Don't give them any help. Make them do all the work.
  • File your Answer with the local Clerk of Court on a timely basis. Most debt collection cases require a response within 14-35 days of receiving the Summons and Complaint, depending on which state the case is in.
  • Make your Answer copy to CMRE Financial Services and make sure it's stamped by the Clerk of Court.

Draft an file an Answer in any state.

You can learn more about drafting an Answer to a debt lawsuit in the video below:

Consider a counterclaim

You may want to consider filing a countersuit against CMRE Financial Services, if you have evidence that proves CMRE Financial Services violated the FDCPA when they contacted you to repay a debt. If you possess proof that CMRE Financial Services violated this law, you may receive compensatory damages of up to $1,000 per violation. They may have to pay your attorney fees and court fees, too.

Overview of what to do if sued by CMRE Financial Services

Here's a quick recap of actions to take if CMRE Financial Services sues you:

  • Write down any telephone call details if they call you before 8 am or after 9 pm. Also, write down if they contact you at work and/or use abusive and threatening language.
  • Be certain to file your Answer within the required timeframe, or you will lose the case by default.
  • In the Answer, think about raising at least one affirmative defense, such as the statute of limitations. Also insist that CMRE Financial Services provide proof of the amount you owe and that you are the one who owes the debt.
  • Remember that filing an Answer is only the first step to resolving a debt lawsuit. Reach out to CMRE Financial Services to negotiate before your court date and settle outside of the courtroom. Use tools like SoloSettle to streamline the settlement process.

Debt collection lawsuits are no fun, but don't despair. With the assistance of Solo , you can learn the steps necessary to proactively engage with the debt collector and achieve a resolution to the debt issue.

Best of luck!

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