A collection entry can involve several records: the original account, a collector, a debt buyer, and one or more credit bureau entries. Start by matching the facts rather than reacting to the score impact alone.
Check the basic facts
- Is the account yours?
- Does the original creditor name make sense?
- Is the balance accurate and are fees supported?
- Are the dates consistent with your records?
- Is the company contacting you the current collector or owner?
- Is the same debt reported more than once in a misleading way?
If you dispute
Describe the exact factual problem and include copies of support. A generic dispute can make it harder to understand what was investigated. Credit bureau disputes and debt collection validation requests follow different rules and timelines.
If you negotiate or pay
Get the terms in writing before sending money. Confirm the amount, who will receive it, whether it resolves the full obligation, and how the account will be updated. Be cautious with very old debts because state limitation periods and the legal effect of a payment or acknowledgment can vary. Consider qualified legal help for a lawsuit or complex limitation issue.
State lawsuit deadlines
Debt collection statutes of limitations by state
A statute of limitations is generally the period for filing a lawsuit; it is not the same as the federal credit-reporting period. The applicable deadline can depend on the debt type, contract, state named in the agreement, where a case is filed, the last payment, and whether a payment or written acknowledgment restarted the clock.
| State | Written contract | Open account / credit card |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 6 years | 3 years |
| Alaska | 3 years | 3 years |
| Arizona | 6 years | 6 years |
| Arkansas | 5 years | 3 years |
| California | 4 years | 4 years |
| Colorado | 6 years | 6 years |
| Connecticut | 6 years | 6 years |
| Delaware | 3 years | 3 years |
| District of Columbia | 3 years | 3 years |
| Florida | 5 years | 4 years |
| Georgia | 6 years | 6 years |
| Hawaii | 6 years | 6 years |
| Idaho | 5 years | 4 years |
| Illinois | 10 years | 5 years |
| Indiana | 6 years | 6 years |
| Iowa | 10 years | 5 years |
| Kansas | 5 years | 3 years |
| Kentucky | 10 years | 5 years |
| Louisiana | 10 years | 3 years |
| Maine | 6 years | 6 years |
| Maryland | 3 years | 3 years |
| Massachusetts | 6 years | 6 years |
| Michigan | 6 years | 6 years |
| Minnesota | 6 years | 6 years |
| Mississippi | 3 years | 3 years |
| Missouri | 10 years | 5 years |
| Montana | 6 years | 5 years |
| Nebraska | 5 years | 4 years |
| Nevada | 6 years | 4 years |
| New Hampshire | 3 years | 3 years |
| New Jersey | 6 years | 6 years |
| New Mexico | 6 years | 4 years |
| New York | 6 years | 3 years |
| North Carolina | 3 years | 3 years |
| North Dakota | 6 years | 6 years |
| Ohio | 6 years | 6 years |
| Oklahoma | 5 years | 3 years |
| Oregon | 6 years | 6 years |
| Pennsylvania | 4 years | 4 years |
| Rhode Island | 10 years | 10 years |
| South Carolina | 3 years | 3 years |
| South Dakota | 6 years | 6 years |
| Tennessee | 6 years | 6 years |
| Texas | 4 years | 4 years |
| Utah | 6 years | 4 years |
| Vermont | 6 years | 6 years |
| Virginia | 5 years | 3 years |
| Washington | 6 years | 6 years |
| West Virginia | 10 years | 5 years |
| Wisconsin | 6 years | 6 years |
| Wyoming | 10 years | 8 years |
General 2026 reference only. Where the two columns differ, courts may dispute how a particular credit-card agreement is classified. Kentucky's older written contracts can follow a different period. Montana, New York, Ohio, and other states have changed these rules in recent years.
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