Woman Finds a Way to Earn Money and Help People by Recovering Judgments
Christina Smiley, founder of Sierra Judgment Recovery, was at the bottom of a pile of debt and in danger of losing her home. But with a little creativity and a unique business, she was able to overcome her financial struggles in just a few short years.
Previously owning a carpet store, Christina was chained to a retail prison. She accumulated monstrous debt, got a second mortgage when she couldn’t afford the first one, and her credit cards were at their limit. She was truly only a few paychecks away from being homeless. That’s when Christina decided that what made the most sense was to try earning money on her own from home.
During a family visit, she learned that her cousin expanded her paralegal business to include collecting court judgments. She explained there was virtually no one who was providing this service. That’s when Christina realized there was a way to earn money and help people at the same time by recovering judgments.
Surprisingly, just because a judge orders someone to pay a debt doesn’t mean that person will pay. Christina contacts judgment holders to see if they can use her help getting payment. These people are overjoyed to assign her their judgments to collect and let her keep half of what she collects.
For Christina, the hardest part was learning how to track down judgment debtors and their assets, but now it’s routine for her. She says the best part about this business is that it’s primarily behind-the-scenes work, which makes it non-confrontational. Everything is done through the courts — from seizing bank accounts and garnishing wages, to placing liens on property.
Christina states, “I’ve been in this business for twenty years and realize I’m filling a true niche. It provides steady, predictable income of about $8,000 per month. There is no lack of work and no foreseeable decrease at any time in the future.”
The flexibility is great. Christina moved from the Lake Tahoe area to Georgia to be closer to her parents. “I didn’t have to worry about cost or finding a job; I just brought the business with me,” says Christina.
For more information on Christina’s unique home-business with Sierra Judgment Recovery, check out her site at www.recoverycourse.com, contact her at , or send an email to csmiley@recoverycourse.com. HBM
