Statute of Limitations on Debt vs. the Reporting Period on Credit Reports

Credit

When it comes to understanding your credit score and credit reporting, there are numerous terms to remember. Because of this, sometimes it’s easy to confuse your state’s statute of limitations with federal laws governing credit reporting.

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Two of the most commonly confused concepts in credit reporting are the statute of limitations on collecting debt and the reporting period on credit reports. While these are two separate, non-related concepts, getting the two confused can potentially cause problems with your credit score.

Understanding the Statute of Limitations

The statute of limitations for any debt is the length of time a creditor has to bring legal action against you to collect the debt. This date varies from state to state and can be from three to ten years. It may also change depending on the type of debt.

In some instances, such as a domestic judgment, the statute of limitations may be even longer—up to 20 years. However, once this date has passed, if a creditor tries to sue you to collect the debt, you have the legal means to defend against having to make payments successfully.

When the Statute of Limitations Runs Out

An important thing to remember is that the statute of limitations runs out after the last missed payment or activity on the account. So, if your account is past the statute of limitations, but you make a payment, you’ve reset the clock. Unfortunately, this means you will have to wait for another three to ten years for the collection period to expire.

In some states, just the promise to make a payment can reset the statute of limitations, regardless of whether you follow through on the payment.

It’s imperative to watch what you say in any phone call, letter, or other communication with a creditor so that you don’t accidentally reset the statute of limitations. Meanwhile, your creditor will be able to legally sue you over the delinquent debt. They can also charge you interest on the amount you owe.

Calculating the Statute of Limitations:

  1. Add six months to the last date of activity on the account (payment or otherwise).
  2. Add the number of years for your state’s statute of limitations.
  3. After this date, your creditors can no longer successfully file suit, as long as you can prove that the statute of limitations has expired.

Example:

  1. Imagine you opened an account in May 2017 and stopped making payments on July 15, 2018. You would add six months to July 15, resulting in a date of January 15, 2019.
  2. If your state’s statute of limitations is 5 years, you would add 5 years to January 15, 2019.
  3. Therefore, your creditors would be unable to sue you for payment of that time-barred debt after January 15, 2024.

How to Find Your State’s Statute of Limitations

It’s easy to find the details on your state’s specific statute of listings. We provide a comprehensive resource guide for you here. Each state’s time limits are broken up into four separate debt categories:

  • Open-ended account: This includes any revolving debts like credit cards and retail store cards, as well as lines of credit.
  • Oral agreement: Any promise that was made verbally, but wasn’t written down.
  • Written agreement: A loan or other agreement with terms signed by both you and a creditor.
  • Promissory note: A loan with specific terms on how often certain amounts should be paid, what interest is charged, and by what date. Common examples include mortgages and student loans.

The length of the statute of limitations for each type of debt can vary significantly by each state. California, for example, has only a two-year limit for oral agreements but has a four-year limit for the other three types of debt.

Iowa is a much stricter state, requiring a ten-year statute of limitations for promissory notes and five years for everything else. Other strict states include Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Wyoming.

More lenient states include Washington, South Carolina, Oklahoma, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Mississippi, and Maryland. If you’ve moved since incurring the debt, check your terms of agreement to figure out which state’s statute of limitations applies to you. In some cases, it might be the state in which you took on the debt, not the one in which you currently live.

Understanding the Credit Reporting Period

By contrast, the credit reporting period only states how long the record will remain on your credit report, regardless of the actual time left on the statute of limitations. In most cases, after seven years, the debt will be removed from your credit report, whether you’ve paid the debt or not.

Here is where things can be confusing: Say the statute of limitations is three years in your state, and your debt is four years old, with no account activity in the past four years. This means that the statute of limitations has passed, even though the debt is still listed on your credit report.

Debt collectors may contact you and try to get you to make a payment on this debt. But, even if you don’t pay anything, you will no longer legally owe the debt in another three years.

However, if you make a payment on that account, you renew the statute of limitations. And the old debt may also be re-listed as new debt. So, any missed payments will once again hurt your credit score.

What are the differences between statute of limitations on debt and credit reporting time limit?

The statute of limitations on debt is a legal time frame in which creditors can take legal action to collect delinquent debts. This time frame varies by state and type of debt, and once it has expired, creditors can no longer take legal action to collect the debt.

The credit reporting time limit is the length of time that negative information stays on a credit report. For most negative information, this period is generally up to seven years.

You should be aware of the difference between these two concepts, as they can have a significant impact on your credit history and ability to pay off debts.

Dealing with Debt Collectors

Once your statute of limitations has expired, a collection agency can’t legally sue you, but that doesn’t mean they can’t keep trying to get you to pay the outstanding debt.

However, there is a way to get the debt collector to stop attempting to collect. By sending a notification of SOL expiration letter, you can inform the creditor that you know the statute of limitations has passed and that they should stop contacting you.

Keep the language straightforward, and don’t claim ownership of the debt. Look at some letter templates as examples of what information you should include and what you should not for the best results.

How to Get Help with Your Credit

You aren’t alone if you’re confused about the statute of limitations and the credit reporting period. Several credit repair services can help you. They offer sound advice on when it’s prudent to pay the bill and when it’s more prudent just to sit tight.

Getting professional advice may help you avoid unnecessary problems with your credit score. Remember, even the slightest incorrect communication with a creditor can reset your statute of limitations.

Working with a professional puts them on the phone instead of you, so your emotions and nervousness don’t get the best of you. That way, you can successfully put old debts in the past and enjoy the benefits of having better credit.

Lauren Ward
Meet the author

Lauren is a personal finance writer who strives to equip readers with the knowledge to achieve their financial objectives. She has over a decade of experience and a Bachelor's degree in Japanese from Georgetown University.