Is credit card debt erased after 7 years?
William Jenkins
Updated on January 31, 2026
Debt can remain on your credit reports for about seven years, and it typically has a negative impact on your credit scores. It takes time to make that debt disappear. Fortunately, the debt will have less influence on your credit scores over time — and will even fall off your credit reports eventually.
Do you have to pay collections after 7 years?
Can a Bill Collector Collect After Seven Years? Most debts have a statute of limitations that runs between four to six years. However, it’s still possible for a debt to be within the statute of limitations at seven years, depending on the debt, when the last payment was made and where you live.
Can a credit card company sue you after 5 years?
A statute of limitations is a law that tells you how long someone has to sue you. In California, most credit card companies and their debt collectors have only four years to do so. Once that period elapses, the credit card company or collector loses its right to file a lawsuit against you.
Does your credit restart after 7 years?
Late payments remain on the credit report for seven years. The seven-year rule is based on when the delinquency occurred. Whether the entire account will be deleted is determined by whether you brought the account current after the missed payment.
What happens to unpaid credit card debt after seven years?
Credit Reporting Confusion. A common misconception exists that credit card debt you owe disappears after seven years when it disappears off of your credit report. In reality, credit card debt you left unpaid does not go away. However, a creditor has a limited time in which to sue you for the debt, called the statute of limitations.
What happens to a negative debt after seven years?
Certain other negative items, like some judgments, unpaid tax liens, and Chapter 7 bankruptcy, can remain on your credit report for more than seven years. 1 Most negative items will simply fall off your credit report automatically after seven years from the date of your first missed payment.
When does debt go away on a credit report?
The Seven Year Rule: Does Your Debt Really Go Away After 7 Years? The “rule” of seven years is perhaps the most prominent credit report factoid known by consumers and the general public. It is actually severely misunderstood by almost everyone that thinks they know it. Here’s a hint: It’s not a rule; it’s a law in the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
What happens when you default on a credit card?
If you default on a credit card debt, the late pays and charge off from the default will stay on your credit reports for 7 years. What about the debt? Once it comes off your credit report, do you still owe it? Get the facts, as how you manage old debt is a critical part of the credit repair process.