Personal Finance

Every state has a statute of limitation under which debts become uncollectible. When a specified amount of time passes, the creditor must suspend collection efforts. The map below shows how many years it takes for a debt to become uncollectible in your state.

Note that some debts like government-backed student loans do not fall under these statutes.

The only way to improve your credit score when paying a collection (for most credit scoring models) is to convince the agency to delete your account in exchange for payment. Credit experts call this "pay for delete." You can use this sample letter to create your own note to collection agencies.

Online shopping makes it easy to hunt for gifts during the holiday season. But that convenience comes with risks. These include the possibility that you may be swindled by a bad actor or have your identity stolen. That's why it's important to practice safe holiday shopping online.

The class of 2018 graduated with an average college debt of $29,200 each, according to The Institute for College Access and Success. And things are getting worse. Because the previous year's figure had been $28,650. So is it possible to leave debt-free? Certainly. And even if you can't quite manage that happy state, you should be able to keep your loans well below average. So read on to discover how you can dramatically reduce your educational costs.

Don't think identity theft can happen to you? Think again. It's one of the fastest-growing crimes in America. And it can be hard to know if you're a victim. That's why it's important to pay attention to identity theft signs.