Report: Diversity in the Industry

Advocacy Resource Center

The accounts receivable management industry is highly regulated by both federal and state laws and regulations, and new proposals are put forth every year that could result in onerous restrictions on ACA members. It is therefore critical for ACA International members to understand how current and proposed legislation and regulatory initiatives can affect their day-to-day business and for members to have access to the tools necessary to help defeat or support bills that could affect the collection business climate.

Here are some tools to advocate for the accounts receivable management industry when meeting with your lawmakers and regulators.

About the Industry/ACA Advocacy

• ACA International Fact Sheet
• ACA Advocacy Booklet - updated April 2021
• Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement Act: An Overview of Impacts for the Accounts Receivable Management Industry (May 2021)
• ACA International Letter to Congressional Leadership Regarding the 117th Congress (Jan. 21, 2021)
• ACA International Letter to President Joe Biden Regarding the Start of the 117th Congress (Jan. 21, 2021)
• The Economic Impact of Third-Party Debt Collection
• Small Business in the Collection Industry in 2019
• Over Regulation of communication Drives Creditors to Litigation (Infographic)
• Most Effective Contact Method by Age Group (Infographic)
• Sarah Auchterlonie Testimony Before U.S. House Committee on Financial Services 9.26.2019
• John Bedard Testimony Before U.S. House Committee on Financial Services 9.26.2019

CFPB Advocacy Tools

• CFPB Final Debt Collection Rule Comparison Chart Part Two
• CFPB Final Debt Collection Rule Comparison Chart
• Legislation Impacting the ARM Industry (October 2020 - Members Only)
• ACA International Comments on CFPB SNPRM on Out-of-Statute Debt (Aug. 4, 2020)
• ACA International and Joint Trades Letter in Support of the Financial Product Safety Commission Act of 2020 (June 18, 2020)
• CFPB Company Portal Manual (June 2020)
• ACA International Letter to CFPB Taskforce on Consumer Financial Law (June 5, 2020)
• Notice of Ex Parte Presentation Debt Collection Practices (Regulation F) Supplemental Proposal on Time-Barred Debt (SNPRM) [Docket No. CFPB-2020-0010]
• Summary of ACA International's Comments to the CFPB (August 26, 2019. This document is available to members of ACA International.)
• Summary of Changes Made by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Proposed Rule for the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
• Speak Out: Connect with Legislative Leaders During Congressional Recess
• Overview of the CFPB’s Debt Collection Complaints and Research (One-page)
• A Review of Debt Collection Complaints Submitted to the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection’s Complaint Database in the First Half of 2018 (White Paper)
• An Overview of the Analytical Flaws and Methodological Shortcomings of the CFPB’s Survey of Consumer Experiences  with Debt Collection (White Paper)

TCPA Advocacy Tools

• Legislation Impacting the ARM Industry (October 2020-  Members Only)
• ACA International and Industry Trades File Amici Curiae Brief in Facebook v. Duguid Case Focused on Definition of an Autodialer (September 11, 2020)
• ACA International and Joint Trades Comments on FCC Advance Methods to Target and Eliminate Unlawful Robocalls (August 31, 2020)
• Best Practices for Mislabeled or Blocked Calls and Texts (Members Only)
• Accounts Receivable Management Outbound Calling Study Sponsored by Number Sentry LLC Calling Number Solutions
• TRACED Act: Deadlines Established by Enactment from Hogan Lovells US LLP
• Speak Out: Connect with Legislative Leaders During the Congressional Recess
• Concerns for the Accounts Receivable Management Industry on FCC Call Blocking and Labeling Efforts
• ACA International’s Concerns and Recommendations for the TCPA (One-page)
• The Impact of Call-Blocking and Labeling Technologies on the Accounts Receivable Management Industry (One-page)
• The Impact of Mass Generic Disputes (One-page)
• Unintended Consequences of an Outdated Statute: How the TCPA Fails to Keep Pace with Shifting Consumer Trends (White Paper)