Can a Debt Collector Collect After 10 Years?

A debt collector can try to collect after 10 years, but the debt is legally unenforceable. This means that a debt collector can’t sue you for repayment.


What happens to unpaid debt after ten years?

While a debt collector can try to collect a debt throughout your lifetime, state laws make debts legally unenforceable once the statute of limitations has been reached. This means that, once the statute of limitations has passed, a debt collector can’t take you to court and attempt to get a judgment against you.

What is the statute of limitations on my debt?

The length of the statute of limitations varies by state and by the type of debt. The statute of limitations for credit card debt, for example, ranges from three years in Alabama to ten years in Rhode Island. A complete list of each state’s statute of limitations can be found here.

Keep in mind that the statute of limitations will be reset if you make a payment on a debt. Debt collectors are notorious for trying to convince consumers to make a small payment – even a few dollars – on a very old debt in order to move it from being time-barred to being current.

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1 COMMENT
  • John S

    Supposedly had a time share – that was 30 years ago – ex wife sold it 15 years ago – I knew nothing of it – then out of the blue 30 years after we divorced – a debt collector said I owed $21000! Well – after researching and contacting the Ex – I realized she no longer owned it, and they are going after me as I use to be married to her – but because of the law – they can’t even report to a credit agency, and then there is a statue of limitation

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