If a debt has gone to a Collection Agency can you still pay the debt off to the original person/company owed instead of having to send it in to the Collection Agency?

As a rule: No. When I've turned someone into Collection, the collection agency gives me very clear instructions that I am NOT to accept any payments and to direct the debtor to them. The collection company makes their money by collecting from you and usually paying the company 50% of what was collected. But, it wouldn't hurt to call the original person/company to see what they have to say.

You can still pay to the original company you owed, that's for sure, I did it once. Company will accept the money, they will never return it. So, the debt gets covered. When it happens, collection ppl get really, really pissed off, cause they lose their commission in this case. Just make sure to keep all pay stabs for the amount you paid off, and next time collection agency calls, you can show them a finger, wrapped in your payment confirmation.

This debt is at a bank...correct? Banks work different from credit card companies... they sometimes are glad for you to come in and pay the negative balance and hopefully deposit money in their bank... I use to work for different banks, off and on for 10 years.

Most times no, but you can try to contact the company and work out a payment arrangement, but really the collection agency will usually do the same thing; try to use scare tactics and court to get you to pay in full, then if you can't or won't they will work out a payment arrangement with you, though when working through the collection agency you cannot usually get rid of interest accrued if it is a debt like a car loan or credit card debt. Just contact the company, try to work out something and see what happens, then if there's nothing you can do then work through the collection agency.

No. The company sold your debt to the collections agency. They got their money, now you have to deal with Collections.

No :)

Not under normal circumstances. Once the account has been turned over to the CA, the books have already been settled with the person/company.

Pay the collection agency. Otherwise they never get their acts together and the agency will keep calling forever. There are companies that will negotiate for you, fyi. If you owe a bundle and can't pay it off, try a debt negotiator. NOT a consoliator. They are ripoffs. I used to help in this field and the people usually paid back about 60 percent of the actual fee. This saved a lot of people's financial lives.