Debtor
A debtor is an entity that owes money to another entity called the creditor. For example, if you borrow an amount of money from Mr. A, then you are a borrower or debtor and Mr. A is the creditor or lender. It is a legal obligation for a debtor to pay back all the money to the creditor that he/ she has borrowed.
Debtor in Bankruptcy
A debtor is also that person who files for bankruptcy relief. While filling the bankruptcy form, the name of the one who is filing for bankruptcy, must be listed in the space marked as 'About Debtor 1'. And, in the space marked as 'About Debtor 2', the debtor's spouse's name is to be listed down.
Laws Protecting the Debtors
In the United States, there is a consumer protection law named the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), to protect the debtors. This act outlines the various codes of conduct and timings for contacting the debtors that debt collectors must follow when collecting money form the debtors.
Debtors in Default
Default is a situation in which a debtor fails to make timely repayments or misses a payment or avoids making payments to its lenders or creditors. On defaulting a payment, a debtor's credit report is negatively hurt and he/ she may get sued by the creditors or collectors.
Can Debtors Be Jailed for Unpaid Debts?
Currently, in the US, there are no jails that imprison the debtors, as failing to pay back debt is not a crime. There are certain permitted ways through which debt collectors can collect the borrowed money from the debtors.
However, courts have the right to send debtors to jail for child support and for not paying the debts.