| Special
section |
Managing debts in collection |
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Debt collectors have to mind their p's and q's; it's the law. You may owe, but you still have rights, so use them!
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| State statutes of limitations for old debts |
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| Statutes of limitations for each state: |
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State |
Written contracts |
Oral contracts |
Promissory notes |
Open accounts (including credit cards) |
| Alabama |
6 years |
6 years |
6 years |
3 years |
| Alaska |
6 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
| Arizona |
6 |
3 |
5 |
3
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| Arkansas |
6 |
3
|
5 |
3 |
| California |
4 |
2 |
4 |
4 |
| Colorado |
6 |
6 |
6 |
6
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| Connecticut |
6 |
3
|
6 |
6 |
| Delaware |
3 |
3 |
6 |
3 |
| D.C. |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
| Florida |
5 |
4 |
5 |
4 |
| Georgia |
6 |
4 |
6 |
4 |
| Hawaii |
6 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
| Idaho |
5 |
4 |
10
|
4 |
| Illinois |
10 |
5 |
6
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5 |
| Indiana |
10
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6 |
10 |
6 |
| Iowa |
10 |
5 |
5
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5 |
| Kansas |
5 |
3 |
5 |
3 |
| Kentucky |
15 |
5 |
15** |
5 |
| Louisiana |
10
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10
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10
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3 |
| Maine + |
6 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
| Maryland |
3 |
3 |
6
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3 |
| Massachusetts + |
6 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
| Michigan |
6 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
| Minnesotta |
6 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
| Mississippi |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
| Missouri |
10 |
5 |
10 |
5 |
| Montana |
8 |
5 |
8 |
5 |
| Nebraska |
5 |
4 |
6
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4 |
| Nevada |
6 |
4 |
3
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4 |
| New Hampshire |
3 |
3 |
6
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3 |
| New Jersey |
6 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
| New Mexico |
6 |
4 |
6 |
4 |
| New York |
6 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
| North Carolina |
3 |
3 |
5
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3 |
| North Dakota |
6 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
| Ohio |
15 |
6 |
15 |
6
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| Oklahoma |
5 |
3 |
5 |
3 |
| Oregon |
6 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
| Pennyslvania |
6
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4 |
4 |
6 |
| Rhode Island |
15
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15
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10 |
10 |
| South Carolina |
10
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10
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3 |
3 |
| South Dakota |
6 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
| Tennessee |
6 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
| Texas |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
| Utah |
6 |
4 |
6 |
4 |
| Vermont |
6 |
6 |
6*** |
6 |
| Virginia |
5 |
3 |
6
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3 |
| Washington |
6 |
3 |
6 |
3 |
| West Virginia |
10 |
5 |
6
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5 |
| Wisconsin |
6 |
6 |
10
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6 |
| Wyoming |
10 |
8 |
10 |
8 |
* Six years if contract is for payment of money.
** Five years if promissory note is added to a bill of sale.
+ The applicable statue of limitations in Maine and Massachusetts on a debt owed to a bank or on a promissory note signed before a witness is 20 years. (Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. Tit.14, s 751; Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 260, s 1.)
*** Vermont's statue of limitations on a promissory note signed before a witness is 14 years.
Source: Bankrate.com
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