{{Short description|Trade group formerly called American Collectors Association}} {{Infobox organization | name = ACA International | logo = | logo_size = | logo_alt = | logo_caption = | abbreviation = | established = {{start date and age|1939}} | founder = | type = Trade association | status = Not-for-profit organisation | purpose = Be the voice and provide resources to the receivables management industry. | location = Eagan, Minnesota, United States | region_served = Worldwide | services = Advocacy for the industry, members handbook and code of conduct | language = English | num_members = | num_members_year = | leader_title = President | leader_name = Tim Haag | funding = Membership fees | num_staff = | num_staff_year = | former_name = American Collectors Association | website = {{URL|http://www.acainternational.org}} }}
'''ACA International''' is a trade group located in the United States representing debt collection agencies, creditors, debt buyers, collection attorneys, and debt collection industry service providers.
ACA International is based in Minneapolis and Washington, D.C. with members located throughout the U.S. and more than 25 other countries. The organization, through its members, represents more than 150,000 industry employees.<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 January 2025 |title=About ACA International |url=https://www.acainternational.org/about/ |access-date=21 January 2025 |website=acainternational.org}}</ref>
==History== In June 1939, the Pacific Coast Association of Collection Agencies and California Association of Collectors, held a joint convention in Oakland, California and launched the ''American Collectors Association'' with 273 members. The organization changed its name to ACA International in 2001.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.acainternational.org/news/an-abridged-history/ |title=An Abridged History of ACA |date=December 18, 2019 |publisher=ACA International}}</ref>
==Industry overview== Collection agency services to their clients include billing, customer service, insurance verification, training, data clearinghouse services, and debt purchasing.
In 2018, third-party collection agencies returned $90.1 billion to creditors, according to an economic impact survey conducted by Ernst & Young. These agencies help employ more than 124,000 employees with a payroll of $5 billion. In addition, third-party collection agencies contributed more than $108.3 million to charitable organizations and volunteered more than 524,000 hours in 2018—including 229,800 hours for company-sponsored activities.<ref>{{cite web |title=Impact of Third-Party Debt Collection on the National and State Economies |url=https://www.acainternational.org/advocacy/kaulkin-ginsberg/ |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=21 January 2025 |website=acainternational.org |publisher=ACA}}</ref>
As the trade association representing these businesses, ACA International lobbies for public policy favorable to its members, provides training and credentialing resources, establishes ethical standards and promotes the value of the industry to businesses, policymakers and consumers.
==Code of conduct== ACA International members are committed to ethical practices and take the expectations of creditor clients, fellow association members, and members of the public seriously. As a condition of association membership, all ACA members agree to abide by the ACA Code of Conduct and agree that any reports of noncompliance will be handled in accordance with the Association’s Ethics Committee Rules.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ACA Code of Conduct |url=https://www.acainternational.org/about/code-of-conduct/ |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=2025-01-21 |website=ACA International}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.acainternational.org Official Website] *[https://www.acainternational.org/advocacy/kaulkin-ginsberg/ Economic Impact of the Third-Party Debt Collections Industry] *[http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre27.pdf Fair Debt Collection Practices Act - United States Federal Trade Commission]
Category:Collection agencies Category:Trade associations based in the United States