Tate & Kirlin Associates on Your Credit Report: What to Know

Tate & Kirlin Associates, Inc. (TKA) is a Langhorne, Pennsylvania debt collection agency founded in 1993 with a BBB Alert, a 2013 default judgment for failing to respond to an FDCPA lawsuit, and a 2018 proposed class action over a collection letter that threatened credit reporting on a time-barred debt in the same letter it disclosed the debt was too old to sue over.

The BBB Alert documents a pattern of TKA collecting for a client called TRS Limited where consumers denied owing any debt — TKA ultimately ceased collection and confirmed it would not report those accounts to credit bureaus.

Who Is Tate & Kirlin Associates, Inc.?

Tate & Kirlin Associates, Inc. is a third-party debt collection agency founded in 1993 in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. The company employs approximately 240 people with estimated annual revenue around $21 million. TKA holds a BBB A+ rating despite 53 complaints in its current three-year window and a formal BBB Alert on its profile.

Who Does TKA Collect For?

TKA collects for banking, healthcare, and retail clients. Confirmed clients from court records and BBB documentation include:

• Verizon: A 2018 proposed class action names a Verizon account as the original creditor on the TKA collection letter at the center of the case.
• Pinnacle Credit Services LLC: The same class action names Pinnacle Credit Services LLC as the current debt owner on whose behalf TKA was collecting the Verizon balance.
• TRS Limited: The BBB Alert documents TKA collecting for TRS Limited in early 2017, with consumers denying any debt obligation and TKA ultimately ceasing collection and declining to report those accounts.

Documented Cases Against TKA

In 2013, a court entered a default judgment against TKA after it failed to respond to an FDCPA lawsuit. A second 2013 case in the Middle District of Florida issued a court order after allegations TKA violated federal and state consumer protection laws.

Rebecca v. Tate & Kirlin Associates (Portage County, Ohio, 2012) alleged TKA continued contacting the plaintiff after receiving a written cease-and-desist letter.

Brian v. Tate & Kirlin Associates (Buchanan County, Missouri, 2018) alleged TKA made harassing calls after the plaintiff requested they stop and ignored the plaintiff’s written dispute of the debt.

The 2018 proposed class action targeted a TKA letter on a Verizon debt owned by Pinnacle Credit Services LLC. The letter implied a negative credit report may be submitted if the consumer failed to meet obligations, while disclosing further down that the debt was too old to sue over. The complaint argued this combination is a misleading and contradictory communication violating FDCPA Section 1692e.

BBB Alert: TRS Limited Collection Pattern

The BBB posted a formal Alert in early 2017 after receiving a pattern of complaints about TKA collecting for TRS Limited. Consumers alleged they had never entered into any agreement with TRS or that ordered items had been returned. TKA responded by ceasing collection, closing the files, and confirming it would not report those accounts to credit bureaus.

Common TKA Complaint Patterns

TKA’s BBB and CFPB complaint record surfaces specific recurring issues.

• Continuing contact after cease-and-desist letters: The Rebecca case documents TKA calling after a written cease request. Additional consumer complaints describe the same pattern.
• Ignoring written debt disputes: The Brian case documents TKA continuing collection after a written dispute of the debt’s validity.
• Threatening credit bureau reporting on time-barred debt: The 2018 class action targets this specific letter format. A letter that implies reporting consequences while disclosing the debt cannot be sued over may be a misleading representation.
• Collecting debts consumers deny as non-existent: The TRS Limited BBB Alert documents TKA ultimately ceasing collection and agreeing not to report those accounts after consumer disputes.

What TKA Cannot Do Under Federal Law

• Continue contact after a written cease-and-desist letter: The Rebecca case documents this conduct. FDCPA Section 1692c(c) requires all contact to stop after receipt of a written cease request.
• Ignore a written debt dispute: The Brian case documents TKA continuing collection after a written dispute. All collection must pause pending verification.
• Send letters that threaten credit reporting while disclosing the debt is time-barred: The 2018 class action targets this letter format under FDCPA Section 1692e’s prohibition on misleading representations.
• Report accounts consumers dispute as non-existent: The TRS Limited pattern documents TKA ultimately agreeing not to report those accounts after consumer disputes.
• Continue collection after a written validation request: All activity must pause until TKA produces documentation.

Pennsylvania Consumer Protection

Pennsylvania residents can file complaints with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection under the Pennsylvania Fair Credit Extension Uniformity Act and the Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law.

Verify Before Paying TKA

Send a certified validation letter demanding the original creditor’s name and account number, the current account owner, the date of first delinquency, and an itemized balance. Review any TKA letter for the 2018 class action combination: credit reporting threat alongside disclosure that the debt is too old to sue.

How to Check Your Credit Report

Pull all three reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and look for Tate & Kirlin Associates or TKA as the furnisher. Confirm the original creditor, the current account owner, and the date of first delinquency.

If TKA is reporting an account you have no knowledge of — particularly any TRS Limited account — dispute the entry with all three bureaus and file a CFPB complaint.

How Long Can TKA Legally Pursue the Debt?

Pennsylvania allows four years on most open accounts and credit cards. The state where your original account was opened may control the statute. The 2018 class action specifically addressed time-barred debt, making the age of any TKA account a particularly important first check.

Your Options for Resolving the Account

• Send a certified cease-and-desist if TKA continues calling: The Rebecca case establishes this as a documented TKA pattern. Each call after confirmed delivery is a separate FDCPA violation.
• Dispute in writing and demand verification: The Brian case documents TKA ignoring a written dispute. Send by certified mail and document every subsequent contact.
• Check the age of the debt before responding: The 2018 class action targeted TKA’s letter language on time-barred debt. If the debt is past the statute of limitations, any implied reporting threat in the letter may be misleading.
• File a Pennsylvania AG complaint: The Bureau of Consumer Protection provides state enforcement authority under the FCEUA and Unfair Trade Practices Act.

How to Contact Tate & Kirlin Associates

Handle all communication in writing. Send disputes by certified mail with return receipt requested:

• Address: Tate & Kirlin Associates, Inc., 580 Middletown Blvd., Suite 240, Langhorne, PA 19047
• Phone: (800) 355-0333 or (888) 922-9520

Bottom Line

Tate & Kirlin Associates has a BBB Alert, a 2013 default judgment for ignoring an FDCPA lawsuit, documented cases for calling after cease-and-desist letters, and a 2018 proposed class action targeting its use of credit reporting threats in letters disclosing the debt is time-barred.

Check the age of any TKA account before responding. If the debt is past the statute of limitations in your state, the collection letter language the 2018 class action targeted may apply directly to your situation.

If a TKA account is on your credit file, the right move depends on whether the original creditor is one you recognize, whether the debt is within the statute of limitations, and whether TKA has continued contact after any cease-and-desist or dispute letter you have sent.