Did you know that most consumer debt has a statute of limitations? The amount of time varies state to state but as mentioned in the article, in California, it is four years. After that time has passed, a creditor cannot sue for that debt to be paid. Beware of companies making offers to help you with older debts because they may be seeking to “revive” the debt which is a legal practice and gives them another set time limit to collect or take legal action. As the author states, “Pay your bills,” but if you cannot and have older debts, be aware of your rights and that debt collections agencies may use unscrupulous tactics while trying to collect on outdated accounts.