At some point, consumer debt is so old that it is no longer legally collectible. At this point, the debt is said to be past the statute of limitations, meaning no creditor or debt collector can take the consumer to court to collect on the debt. However, even though creditors cannot collect on debt past a certain time period, it does not mean this is the best strategy for consumers to seek in cancellation of this debt.
Every state has a set of laws that govern how long a party has to pursue a legal cause of action. After the timeline has passed, the individual can no longer file a lawsuit. For debt collection, the statute of limitation hinges on the type of debt. In Florida, the statute of limitations for debts involving written contracts, such as personal loans, is five years. The statute of limitations is four years for debts that stem from oral contracts or revolving accounts, the most common of these being credit card debt. After that point, the creditor is not able to legally collect on the debt.