Credit glossary
Time-barred debt
A debt old enough that the state deadline for suing over it has passed, even though the debt itself may still be owed.
Regulation F bars collectors from suing or threatening to sue on a time-barred debt (12 CFR 1006.26). In most states a collector can still contact you and ask for payment. The FTC has warned collectors to be careful with these debts, and the reason matters to you: in some states a payment can restart the time to sue.
Time-barred and off your credit report aren't the same thing. A debt can be too old to sue on but still inside its 7-year reporting period, or gone from your report but still within the lawsuit deadline. If you're sued on a time-barred debt, respond: the CFPB says a court may still enter judgment if you don't show up and raise the defense yourself.
Guides that go deeper
- The statute of limitations on debt, and how a payment can reset itA statute of limitations limits when a collector can sue, not whether it can ask you to pay. How the clock starts, how it can restart, and what Reg F bans.
- Zombie debt and illegal re-aging: how old debts come backZombie debts are old, paid, or wrong debts that resurface after a sale. Re-aging is reporting a newer delinquency date. How to spot and fight both.
- Sued by a debt collector: what to do in the first two weeksA debt lawsuit you ignore usually ends in a default judgment. What to read on the summons, how to respond on time, and where to find free legal help.
Sources
- 12 CFR 1006.26: Collection of time-barred debts, eCFR
- Watch what you're doing with time-barred debts, Federal Trade Commission
- Can debt collectors collect a debt that's several years old?, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
This is education, not legal or financial advice. Spot an error? Tell us and we'll fix it.