If you are being hounded by a creditor about a debt that is really old, they may not be able to collect it anyway. In a lot of states, the creditor only has six years to collect a debt. If your debt is more than six years old, you might not have to pay, but be careful. If you agree to make payments or actually make a payment, that six years will reset. The creditor might also sue you before the six years expires and you will be faced with a judgment instead of debt collection. The creditor might even sue you after the expiration of the six years. You actually have to show the judge that the debt has been in default for over six years before the judge will dismiss the case. This sounds like unfair play by creditors, but the only way to make sure they cannot collect is discharge in bankruptcy. This is even being considered in the Supreme Court right now because creditors are trying to collect old debt in bankruptcy court. Statute of Limitations, Creditor Old Debt Collection Limits
While the court decides, be careful of creditors collecting old debt. Don’t pay. Don’t agree to pay. Tell the judge right away if you get sued. Better yet, just discharge them in bankruptcy and stop all of the games.
