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If it's been over 7 years should you pay off an old credit card debt from a collection agency or just let it go?
Wiki User
∙ 8y ago
I was told this by a lawyer. If you have an old debt that is older than a couple of years "DON'T PAY IT". Don't even talk to debt collectors and if you do never promise to make any type of payment. The reason- A debt is only reportable for 7 years from the terms of the original contract. Each time you promise to pay any part of the debt you form a new contract, extending the time that the debt can remain on your credit report.
Paying a defaulted debt, or making arrangements to pay can not legally extend the reporting period for any debt. That fact is established by the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Under certain state's laws, however, paying or making payment arrangements CAN re-set the statute of limitations. SOL is the time period during which a consumer may be sued to recover a debt. This is likely what the attorney was warning about, not the credit reporting period.
Wiki User
∙ 8y ago
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How long do unpaid credit cards stay on your credit report in NY state?
Technically seven to ten years. When a credit card goes into default it gets written off on the creditors taxes as a loss and gets sold to a collection agency for 10 to 20 percent of the original loss. Down the line it gets sold from collection agency to collection agency.
If you have an account that went to a collection agency however you paid it in full how long does it take for that collection account to be removed from your credit report?
It sticks for 7 years. The fact that it was turned over to a collections agency will make it to your credit report. When it is paid in full, it will say "settled" on your credit report so other creditors know you took care of the debt. Even so, it still haunts your credit report for 7 years.
What is the time limit imposed on a collection agency to validate a debt?
If you legally incurred the debt then you are responsible for it until it is paid. A company other than the company to which you were originally indebted may purchase the rights to your debt and you are responsible for paying them. There is no time limit on that debt. A collection agency can legally pursue you until the debt is paid in full. However, there is a time limit on the negative consequences of not paying the debt. In most circumstances that limit is seven years. Seven years from the time you became delinquent with your original creditor. Whether or not your debt was purchased by a collection agency, it should not be reported on your credit report or affect your credit score after seven years. The only time the debt could reappear is if you take an action on it. For example: In 1997 you applied for and received a store credit card and charged $1000 in merchandise. You did not pay the bill and after their attempts to collect the debt fail, the store sells your debt to a collection agency in 1998. That agency sells your debt to another agency in 2000. In the meantime, you pay all your bills on time and have an otherwise spotless credit history. In 2004 your $1000 debt will no longer appear on your credit report and your credit score will be higher because the old debt is no longer figured in the calculation. The collection agency is not doing anything illegal by contacting you regarding your debt. But it is no longer affecting your credit rating. In 2007 you pay $500 toward the debt. Your credit report would reflect you have a $500 debt to the collection agency and your credit score would drop. I hope this answered your question.
What should you do to get paid collections off your credit report?
If the account is legitimately yours, then you cannot legally have it removed from your credit report. However, if you paid the collection account off, it should be reported as paid on your credit report. Still, the accounts will not be removed from your credit report for 7 years.
What should you do about a debt that was charged off over 10 years ago and removed from your credit report but has now reappeared because it was bought by a new collection agency?
Under the FCRA (fair Credit Reporting Act) If a Creditor or collection agency cannot verify a debt they are not allowed to collect, contact you or report it. Violation of this act is a $1000 fine. There's no way for a collection agency to prove that you owe them money because there is only an assignment of debt and not a contract between you and the creditor. One loophole, if you signed an agreement wording "debtor agrees to be responsible for payment of this debt to creditor or it's assigns" then you will be responsible for paying it. A computer generated printout of debt is not enough for Proof of Debt Owed.
How many years can a collection agency still pull your credit report?
A collection agency can't access a credit report w/o the permission of the party involved. They may try to mislead someone into believing they are able to do so, and that is a violation of the FDCPA and should be reported as such.
How long do unpaid credit cards stay on your credit report in NY state?
Technically seven to ten years. When a credit card goes into default it gets written off on the creditors taxes as a loss and gets sold to a collection agency for 10 to 20 percent of the original loss. Down the line it gets sold from collection agency to collection agency.
If one collection agency fails to collect a medical bill and sell it to another agency how long will the bill stay on a credit report?
seven years
Is it better to pay a collection agency or let them write the debt off?
if you pay the collection agency you can get back in good credit standings , ifyou dont they can get a judgment against you, and garnish your wadges , if they do a charge off it stays on your credit for up to 10 years know and it is harder to get credit with a charge off
Can a credit collection agency pursue payment on an account that has been closed for 10 years?
Yes, there is no statute of limitations on debt.
If you have an account that went to a collection agency however you paid it in full how long does it take for that collection account to be removed from your credit report?
It sticks for 7 years. The fact that it was turned over to a collections agency will make it to your credit report. When it is paid in full, it will say "settled" on your credit report so other creditors know you took care of the debt. Even so, it still haunts your credit report for 7 years.
What should you do if you had a cc judgment against you for 6000 and you paid 3000 and three years later a new credit agency has you in court wanting 8000 and says you only paid 200?
No credit agency will sue you. I believe you mean collection agency. Send the collection people a Cease and Desist letter (google "fair credit act cease desist). Then get a free credit report (your right!!)(the score doesn't matter so don't pay to get it). Then dispute the debt w/ the credit bureaus (the dispute letter will be found w/ the Cease and desist letter).
What is the time limit imposed on a collection agency to validate a debt?
If you legally incurred the debt then you are responsible for it until it is paid. A company other than the company to which you were originally indebted may purchase the rights to your debt and you are responsible for paying them. There is no time limit on that debt. A collection agency can legally pursue you until the debt is paid in full. However, there is a time limit on the negative consequences of not paying the debt. In most circumstances that limit is seven years. Seven years from the time you became delinquent with your original creditor. Whether or not your debt was purchased by a collection agency, it should not be reported on your credit report or affect your credit score after seven years. The only time the debt could reappear is if you take an action on it. For example: In 1997 you applied for and received a store credit card and charged $1000 in merchandise. You did not pay the bill and after their attempts to collect the debt fail, the store sells your debt to a collection agency in 1998. That agency sells your debt to another agency in 2000. In the meantime, you pay all your bills on time and have an otherwise spotless credit history. In 2004 your $1000 debt will no longer appear on your credit report and your credit score will be higher because the old debt is no longer figured in the calculation. The collection agency is not doing anything illegal by contacting you regarding your debt. But it is no longer affecting your credit rating. In 2007 you pay $500 toward the debt. Your credit report would reflect you have a $500 debt to the collection agency and your credit score would drop. I hope this answered your question.
How long does an unpaid long distance bill stay on your credit?
If the bill is turned over to a collection agency, it can remain on your credit for seven years from the date of last activity. ----------------------------------------- That is correct - 7 years. It can come off if you hire a credit attorney, though.
If a debt is sold to another company for collection does it take another 7 years from the transfer of debt for it to come off your credit report in California?
The date of first delinquency should be the date that starts the clock for the 7 years. Meaning if you went 30 days late in April 2005, on a credit card, and then 60, 90 then 120, then the account would go to charge off status but the date of first delinquency would be April 2005. In CA, 4 years from the date of first delinquency is within the statute of limitations is in effect that a creditor or collection agency can sue you for the amount owed. This will vary from state to state, If the collection agency sells the collection to another collection company, the start date is the date of first delinquency, April 2005. If the collection agency changes the date, that is called re-aging and is illegal unless you set up new terms with collection agency
When a collection agency buys a debt from a credit card company does a new statute of limitations start from the day it was purchased or does the collection agency's statute remain the same?
The statute of limitations starts counting immediately when you made the last payment to either the credit card company or the collection agency. If you ever make a payment to either of them the statute of limitations will start over. If you have not made any payments to the credit card company recently and the credit card company sells the debt to the collection agency, the collection agency's statute of limitations will be from the date that you last paid the credit card company. Furthermore, if the statute of limitations is over and the collection agency continues to keep collecting the debt, you can send them a letter (certified is the preferred method) to stop all contact with you. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), they would be required to stop immediately upon receipt of the letter (unless they are taking legal action in a court then they can send you legal notices only). If they do not stop, you are entitled to collect monetary damages as outlined in the FRCA. This does not stop the collection agency from reporting to your credit report. Your credit reporting falls under a different set of rules which basically removes most collections debts (except for court judgements) after 7-10 years.
I have a collection for a doctor's bill from 2003 on my credit report I just noticed that they reposted the same bill on my credit report and changed the date to 2008. Can they do that?
sounds like might have sold the account to another collection agency--dispute it after the 7 years is up to get it removed
