Daily Digest - August 19, 2026

🎂 Happy Birthday: Bill Denius of Denius Law P.A.

🎉Congratulations for starting new positions: Dave Worton as Managing Member at Hyventur,

New Digital Communications Report

The industry is optimistic. Placements are expected to climb. Consumers, it turns out, are more ready for digital than the businesses serving them.

2️⃣1️⃣ Days and Counting!

It doesn’t matter how much you have used AI already. It doesn’t matter how much you know or don’t know about AI. It doesn’t matter if you don’t want to code or build things with AI. What matters is that AI is going to impact how we all work. Either through our direct interactions with it or the technology that we are using or how our colleagues, co-workers, and companies are using it. It will only continue to expand.

These are all reasons why you need to be at brainstorm. Can you run the risk, personally and professionally, of falling further behind those who are going to be there?

🏆 NEW CONTEST! 🧑‍🎨

TCN is going to give away a free T-shirt to all brainstorm attendees and they are excited to be hosting a contest to choose the shirt design. So use your imagination or your best AI tool and email me ([email protected]) your shirt designs. Submissions will be voted on and the winning design will be put on the shirts given out to brainstorm attendees.

Deadline for submission is Friday, August 21. 

Judge Rules on Competing Summary Judgment Motions in FDCPA Case

• For two years, a collector mailed letters promising it was enclosing "validation" of an $800 apartment debt. Its own internal notes told a different story: the original creditor had never provided proof the debt existed. When a Washington federal judge took up dueling summary judgment motions, one word the collector never once used in its briefs proved decisive, and the evidence it did produce did not survive either. What the judge let proceed to trial may matter even more.

• More details here.

A MESSAGE FROM TCN

TODAY’S WEBINAR

UPCOMING WEBINARS

Appeals Court: Four-Year Delay Sank Bid to Compel Arbitration

• A telemarketing defendant spent more than four years fighting a TCPA class action on the merits, at one point arguing that roughly 70% of the class had already signed away their right to sue. Then, with a 66,682-member class certified and summary judgment looming, it suddenly wanted arbitration, pointing this time to just over 1,000 members. The Seventh Circuit explained why the timing, and one particular excuse involving newly hired counsel, decided the outcome, and used the case to rebuild rules it admitted were a mess.

• More details here.

Six in 10 Credit Card Customers Now Financially Unhealthy, J.D. Power Finds

• The share of cardholders judged financially unhealthy climbed again this year, but the sharper story is the widening split beneath the average. As debt-free rewards hunters pull more value from their cards, strained customers are walking away from purchases at checkout, rethinking whether to carry a balance, and losing faith that their card can protect them. J.D. Power spells out what issuers stand to lose if they misjudge where their customers actually sit, and which one factor it says customers won't tolerate before leaving.

• More details here.

Cancer Patients in High-Medical-Debt Counties Diagnosed Later, Study Finds

• An American Cancer Society analysis of more than 7.5 million patients found that a community's medical debt load tracks with something stark: how late cancer is caught there, and how many patients survive it. The relationship held across cancer types and grew stronger as county debt rose. The findings arrive as federal policy on whether medical debt belongs on credit reports has reversed course, twice.

• More details here.

AI in CX Report: Adoption Nears 70%, but Only 2% Reach the Value Threshold

• Nearly 70% of customer experience operations now run on some form of AI, yet almost none clear the bar separating measurable value from experimentation. The report from Forethought by Zendesk traces the divide to what the AI actually does rather than whether it exists, and pinpoints where deployments still break down most, including one support channel most organizations offer but few have automated.

• More details here.

Where Did Debit Dollars Go in the Second Quarter? Toward Gas, Travel and Saved Cards

• Debit spending rose in every category SoFi tracked last quarter, but the mix points squarely at value-hunting: more grocery trips for fewer dollars each, and fuel muscling past staples in the essentials basket. One way of paying also claimed the largest share in the index's history for the first time, a shift in consumer behavior that outlasts any single quarter.

• More details here.

39 Companies Seeking Collection Talent

• This week's roundup of openings across the accounts receivable management industry runs from litigation and compliance attorneys to collectors, bankruptcy paralegals, and engineering and analytics roles, with a heavy share of them remote. The full list of who's hiring, and where, is inside.

• More details here

WORTH NOTING: A list of 11 things you should never buy at Walmart ... Customer satisfaction is nearly at its lowest point this century ... A look at how couples navigate financial independence, disputes, and shared responsibilities ... Costly mistakes to avoid when buying a new car ... Most parents have not named a legal guardian for their kids ... More young adults are worried that AI is going to take their jobs ... A lot of people prioritize their pet's diet over their own, which might explain why so many of them are willing to eat their dog's food ... Columbia House is going out of business next month.

Wisdom Wednesday, part I

Wisdom Wednesday, Part II

Webinar Recap: Answering More Questions About Bankruptcy

The session, moderated by Dennis Barton of Barton Law Group and sponsored by CSS Impact, brought together experts from Resurgent Capital Services, Bankrupt Debt Services, World Acceptance Corp, and Velocity Investments. The panel tackled complex bankruptcy scenarios that creditors, debt buyers, and financial institutions face daily.

Key discussions included how to handle debtor communications when bankruptcy is claimed, the challenges of reaffirmation agreements, lien obligations post‑discharge, and reporting requirements for non‑filing spouses in community property states. Panelists emphasized conservative approaches, thorough research, and balancing compliance with operational efficiency.

Bruce Jobe noted, “Just the threat or the hint is enough to get them off the call floor,” underscoring the importance of risk avoidance. Emily Powers highlighted the nuances of consumer payments after discharge, while Jonathan Koop stressed the need to double‑check balances in disputed claims. Josh Pond reminded attendees that timing—such as the 70‑day loan rule—can significantly impact recovery options.

🧠 Key Takeaways:

• Default to conservative handling: When bankruptcy is threatened, pause collection activity until verified to avoid compliance risks.

• Train teams on critical distinctions: Misunderstanding discharge vs. dismissal can lead to costly violations; reaffirmation agreements require careful ROI evaluation.

• Strengthen reporting and research protocols: Report at the account level in community property states, and always confirm case details before proceeding with debtor communications.

This webinar reinforced that while bankruptcy remains one of the most complex challenges in collections, a disciplined, conservative, and well‑researched approach helps mitigate risk and protect creditor interests.

Did you know you can get full access to all of my past webinars, along with transcripts and summaries of each, for only $29/month? Sign up to be a premium subscriber today!

The Daily Digest is sponsored by TCN