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How to Settle Debt With Harvard Collection

George Simons | January 30, 2025

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: If Harvard Collection Services is suing you, the wrong move is to ignore the lawsuit, hoping it disappears. Learn how to make the right affirmative defense in court and how to settle the debt for less.

If you're served a Summons from Harvard Collection Service, do not wish it away. Even if you feel helpless, you still have legal rights. Your actions, or lack thereof, will determine the lawsuit's outcome.

Your actions are critical. But you may not know what to do and in what order. Fortunately, Solo can give you the confidence and guidance to respond to the lawsuit quickly to prevent a default judgment and settle the debt outside of court.

Since Harvard Collection has performed its due diligence, it makes sense that you do the same. Your reaction to the lawsuit will develop your legal strategy to counter their suit. Knowledgeable consumers understand that gathering information and knowing everything they can about Harvard Collection Services can help them best prepare to engage the company and work out a viable solution to the lawsuit.

Settle debt with Harvard Collection

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

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What is Harvard Collection Services?

Harvard Collection Services is a legitimate debt collection agency headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. It has been in business for over 40 years and collects debt for businesses whose customers have defaulted on debt. Harvard Collection receives charged-off debt from creditors and pursues consumers. The company gets paid depending on how much debt it collects.

Contact Harvard Collection Services using the information below:

For a collection agency, written and oral communication are strictly governed by federal agencies. All collection agencies must follow the rules or risk generating complaints, getting sued themselves, or being fined by state or federal regulatory agencies. Although you can reach Harvard by phone or otherwise, we recommend written correspondence so you can keep records.

Who does Harvard Collection Services collect for?

Harvard Collections pursues debt in several industries. Its clients include the following:

  • Higher education institutions
  • Utilities
  • Real estate
  • Medical
  • Financial services
  • Government

Based on the vast clientele, you may hear from Harvard if you are late on a student loan, government tax, medical bill, or other debts.

Use Solo to respond to debt collectors fast.

Read Harvard Collection Services reviews to learn more

It is critical to hear what others say about the company. Their opinion gives you insight into how to handle debt collection. Read Harvard Collections reviews below:

With mixed reviews online, you may be surprised to learn that Harvard Collections has received some positive feedback. Consumers like it when the company’s representatives are friendly and address their concerns. Here’s an example of a realy Harvard Collection review from Taylor:

“I was so nervous to call, (but) I was pleasantly surprised. I didn't call to fight or complain. I called to find out where this issue occurred. While I don't remember missing any payment from ConEd, this company had my info, and it seemed to make sense. Darren Smith at ext 8818 took his time to explain everything to me, to give me his advice based on experience and to make sure I felt comfortable with the information I received. Very grateful for a seamless experience when I was expecting turmoil. Thank you, Darren!”

If you do not engage with Harvard, you may not be able to resolve the debt, and the company may be forced to take you to court.

Get ready for your Harvard Collection lawsuit

There are several ways to resolve a debt with Harvard Collections. First, you can pay the debt in full. Full payment is the best option because your credit will recover faster. Make a one-time payment or work out an installment plan. Alternatively, you can negotiate a debt settlement where Harvard forgives part of the debt. If none of these solutions work, Harvard may take you to court.

Harvard often files a lawsuit when it believes it will recover the debt. There is no point in them receiving a judgment that will never be paid. However, the company may not understand your financial situation, and you may have to bring it up.

If Harvard sues you, act quickly. You must respond to the lawsuit and find other ways to resolve the case out of court. You can file an Answer with the court without an attorney, but you must use the correct format to make your documents admissible.

The good news is that you can use SoloSuit’s Answer document to file in any state. Once you have understood Harvard Collections’ claims, state whether you admit or deny them. Provide a numbered list corresponding to the plaintiff’s allegations. The deadline for responding to debt collection lawsuits differs in every state. You may have as little as two weeks to file your reply in the correct court.

Watch the following video to learn about the process.

Make the right affirmative defenses

In addition to responding to Harvard Collections' claims, you must also assert your affirmative defenses. Affirmative defenses are reasons Harvard should not sue you and why you should win. You cannot just make up ideas. They must be real because you must prove them in court. Some affirmative defenses in debt collection lawsuits include the following:

  • The debt is too old
  • You already paid
  • The account does not belong to you
  • There are errors in the debt details
  • Harvard cannot prove it owns the debt

SoloSuit can help you make your affirmative defenses and file them for you.

Can I settle a debt collection lawsuit with Harvard Collections?

A debt settlement may be ideal if you are struggling and cannot afford to pay everything you owe. Debt collectors prefer a one-time lump sum settlement but may agree to a monthly installment plan. It takes the following steps.

  1. Calculate a budget for your settlement. Consider your cost of living, savings, and other debts to determine how much you can afford to pay to settle with Harvard Collections.
  2. Contact the creditor and begin settlement discussions. Know how much you are offering and the date you wish to make the payment. Follow the initial contact with a written summary of what you discussed with Harvard Collections.
  3. Negotiate. Consider Harvard Collections’ counteroffers and be willing to increase your initial offer.
  4. Get everything in writing. Get the settlement agreement signed and in writing, which outlines the terms and protects both parties if the contract is breached.
  5. Pay the settlement. Make sure you pay on time. Failure to do so can lead to bigger issues like wage garnishment. It will also make it hard to settle because Harvard Collections may no longer trust your word.

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Make an Offer

If Harvard Collection settles your debt, you can get relief and rebuild your credit. Remember to resolve any other debt collection accounts as soon as possible.

To learn more about how much to offer to settle the debt, watch the following video:

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