How long?

Hello and welcome! :) I'm pretty sure it's seven years, if not, someone feel free to correct me.

7 years is correct. d_lynch26 if it is 7 years or longer you can dispute it and have it removed from your report.

It can stay on your CR for 7 years, after that the CB must stop reporting.

HOWEVER, based on the SOL in your state, they may be able to continue to try to collect. For example, the state of RI has a 10 year SOL for credit cards.

Double check the SOL for your state and if it has expired, do a DV to the CA and tell them so! If they try to sue you, using an expired SOL is your defense in getting the case dismissed in your favor.

i have a bill on my cr it said it be removed on 1/2009 can that be true

Zombie debt is live and well. Have you made ANY payments on that at all? If not they should be well past their statue of limitations.

In some cases the SOL can be 'renewed'. I don't know exactly how it works and I think it varies by state but be careful when dealing with this because there are collection agencies that try to collect on old old debt, and some that even try to collect on satisfied debt (cough*NCO*cough).

Actually, there are 17 states in which payment does not restart the clock (renew or extend SOL). The statute of limitations is only extended by new written promise to pay in these 17 states:

Arizona, California, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Texas, Virginia, West Virgina, Wisconsin.

I live in Jacksonville, FL & received a letter from Vision Financial stating that "their Client NCO Portfolio Management has purchased my account," etc. I am now receiving phone calls from Vision Financial and Reliant Recovery. What is the relationship these have with NCO & can they file a lawsuit or is all of this an attempt to get a response from me, since this debt is well past SOL?