What is the statue of limitations on unpaid bills?

Answer by  patti (29325)

The law varies by state. Generally a debtor has six years to collect a debt from the time it was written off. Some states allow up to 15 years.

Answer by  Roland27 (16334)

If you owe someone money they have the right to collect it until you pay it. Even if that means ten years from now. Make an effort and start paying payments and they will leave you alone.

Answer by  epglaw (553)

If the bill is based on a written contact, then it is six years from date of the last transaction wherein services or goods were ordered. If you had been making payments, and then stopped, it will be six years from the date of the last payment.

Answer by  Gabriel (2146)

Debts have no statute of limitations. You're unpaid bills can follow you until you finally pay them, or the company decides to drop it. Typically, once one company gets tired of chasing you, they sell the debt to someone else, a collector, who then tries to get it. The only way to get out other than paying, is through bankruptcy.

Answer by  John (9008)

This gets rather complicated. Often, it is determined by state law, and can vary with the state. Also, different types of bills have different time limits. Student loans, for example, never expire. Moreover, the time limit often does not even begin to run until a borrower defaults on the loan. Consulting a lawyer in this situation is prudent.