How we get this right — and how we show our work

1 · State statute-of-limitations data

Medical debt is treated as contract debt for limitations purposes. Each state sets one period for written contracts and, usually, a separate (often shorter) period for open accounts or oral contracts. For each state we record both periods, identify which most commonly applies to an unsigned medical bill, and link the controlling statute. Every entry carries the date it was last checked. Where a state's rule is genuinely unsettled or we could not verify it against a primary source, we show “Varies” rather than guess — we never invent a number or a statute citation.

Aggregator sites (Nolo, Bankrate, and similar) are used only as a cross-check, never as the load-bearing citation. The citation you see links to the state code or to a reputable primary mirror.

2 · How the decoder computes its estimate

The decoder takes your state and a date the limitations clock most likely started, then compares the elapsed time to the applicable period. It classifies the result as likely within the window, borderline (within a few months of the limit, where the exact accrual date matters), or likely time-barred. It is deterministic and runs entirely in your browser.

What it deliberately does not do: decide the exact accrual date, account for tolling (for example, an out-of-state defendant or a bankruptcy stay), determine whether a payment or written acknowledgment restarted the clock, or judge whether the debt is valid. Those are fact-specific and can flip the result, which is why every output carries the caveat and points you to the statute and to an attorney.

3 · How the letter templates are grounded

Each template is built on a federal statute, and the time-barred-debt letter also uses your state's verified period. The templates are written to be polite and firm, and the time-barred-debt letter is carefully drafted to avoid admitting the debt or promising to pay — because that can restart the clock.

• Debt-validation request

  Asks the collector to verify the debt in writing and to pause collection until it does. Most useful within 30 days of first contact.

  • 15 U.S.C. § 1692g — Validation of debts

• Cease-communication request

  Tells the collector in writing to stop contacting you. Use with care — it can prompt a lawsuit on a debt that is still within the limitations period.

  • 15 U.S.C. § 1692c — Communication in connection with debt collection

• Time-barred-debt notice

  States that you believe the debt is past your state's statute of limitations and asks the collector not to sue. Does not admit the debt or restart the clock.

  • 15 U.S.C. § 1692e — False or misleading representations
  • 12 C.F.R. § 1006.26 — Collection of time-barred debts (Regulation F)

4 · Privacy as a method, not a promise

The decoder and letter generator are client-side. There is no form submission to a server, no account, and no logging of your inputs — the privacy comes from the architecture, not from a policy we ask you to trust.

5 · Dates

Each state row shows the date it was last checked against its primary statute. For later changes, check the statute or your state attorney general's office. See the sources page for the full citation manifest.