There can be any number of reasons why you haven’t been paid your judgment money. Usually the main reasons a judgment goes uncollected can be narrowed down to just a few simple reasons. As you read these common reasons in this article, I bet you will be able to identify with one or more of the reasons listed below.

Debtor hasn’t been asked to pay – Believe it or not, there are many judgment debtors who don’t pay their judgment debt simply because the judgment creditor has never been contacted and asked to pay. Some debtors will pay the debt if they are contacted by the creditor demanding payment. There is a percentage of judgment debtors who will automatically pay as soon as they receive a demand letter from their judgment creditor.
Debtor can’t afford to pay – Some debtors just don’t have the ability to pay their debt. If they absolutely can’t pay, it doesn’t matter if they are willing to pay. In such cases, it is wise to identify the fact that they truly cannot pay. Patience is called for. Just be willing to wait for a future time when their financial position improves so that they will be able to pay the judgment debt. The challenge is to stay informed about their situation so that you will be ready to collect as soon as the debtor’s finances improve.
Debtor has the money, but won’t easily part with a dime that he owes - There are some folks out there who just don’t pay what they owe. The only time they pay a debt is when they have no choice. These tough nuts to crack shouldn’t be treated gently. You have to play hard ball with them. Be prepared to be met with resistance every step of the way. The best way to proceed is with the most aggressive enforcement tactics you can employ. Nothing else works.
Debtor refuses to believe he should pay – These judgment debtors are the kind of legal adversaries who disagree vehemently with the court’s verdict. They genuinely feel an injustice has occurred. They think they are victims of a legal injustice. Don’t be surprised if your debtor falls into this category. Don’t get caught up in listening to them whine and moan about their loss in the court room. Keep any contact with them as unemotional as possible. Make everything all business, as much as possible.
Debtor doesn’t know about the judgment- If you won your lawsuit by way of a default judgment, your adversary may honestly not know that he owes a money judgment. This is a more likely occurrence if the original complaint was not personally served on him. This is a situation where the judgment may be ripe for vacated or overturned.
It has been a long time since the judgment was handed down, and he has not been forced to pay, so he thinks he never will have to - If it has been a few years since he lost in court, and if there hasn’t been any serious judgment enforcement attempted, then he might reasonably assume that he will never have to pay the judgment debt. If he has gotten off scott-free for years, why should he expect anything to change in the future. With this type judgment debtor you should expect to employ serious enforcement devices.
Chances are you recognize your judgment situation in some of these examples above. If you figure out why your judgment debtor won’t pay, it should give you some very helpful insight into how you should proceed and how to collect your judgment.