What's the minimum invoice worth sending to collections?

For commercial B2B technology receivables, claims of about $5,000 and up are generally worth placing with a specialist collection agency. Because reputable agencies work on contingency—no recovery, no fee—there's no out-of-pocket downside to placing a viable account. Panther Chase & Associates accepts commercial claims from $5,000 to $1M and above, and the firm's 85.3% success rate applies to large claims above $5,000 placed within 12 months of delinquency.

Two factors matter more than size alone

• Age — a fresh $4,000 invoice can be more collectible than a two-year-old $40,000 one. Recovery odds fall every month.
• Whether the debtor is viable — a solvent debtor who simply won't pay is very different from one that's insolvent.

What about smaller balances?

If your balance is under $5,000, it can still be worth a call—especially in volume (ten aging $3,000 invoices are a $30,000 problem). And if an account truly isn't worth pursuing, a good agency tells you on day one rather than running up activity. When in doubt, a free evaluation costs nothing.

See how receivables lose value over time, or read about our B2B collection service.