Can a collection agency continue to report on your credit report if the statute of limitations has expired?

Question

For example, in California the Statute of Limitations on collecting debt is 4 years. So after 4 years, can the collection agency continue to post negative entries in your credit report?

Answer 1

People mix this up all the time.

The time that derogatory accounts can be reported is governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act and it says 7-years from the date of first delinquency nothing resets this time line.

The statute of limitations is the legal time that creditors have to sue you and get a judgment, this time line varies by State and type of debt, this time line can be reset by making a payment and in some States even by admitting the debt is yours.

One time line has nothing to do with the other.

Answer 2

yes they can

Answer 3

Yes they can. In fact they can report all the way up to 7 years 6 months from the date of your first delinquency with that account. The state statute of limitations merely hampers their ability to sue you in attempts of collecting the debt.