I had a collections amount from 2003 that showed up in 2006 for a storage unit in california. The statute here is 4 years. However how long will this stay on my credit report? Its $600 should i try to settle with them? I never got any calls from them. I found it when i checked my credit report.

Ideally a negative remark on your credit report would stay for seven and a half years from the day of delinquency, i.e. the date when you first defaulted on the account. The SOL has nothing to do with it. But if the debt has passed the SOL I wouldn't have rattled it since it would reset the statute.

Have you not heard anything about this debt in all these years? When is it scheduled to drop off from your report?