A statute of limitations is the legal time limit to file a lawsuit. In Illinois, debt collectors usually have:

• 5 years to sue for credit card debt and most medical debt,
• 10 years to sue for written contracts, like loans, and  
• 4 years to sue for contracts for the sale of goods, like a car or furniture.

This time period usually starts about 30 days after your last payment on the bill or loan.

If a debt collector sues you after the time limit has passed, they may be breaking the law. This is against the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. You may be able to get free legal help to raise this issue.

⚠️ Be careful making payments on old debt. If you make a payment, even a small one, this will restart the time for the debt collector to sue you. This means if you make a small payment on your credit card debt, the debt collector would have another 5 years to sue you.