Legal topic
Debt Collection
General information about your rights when dealing with debt collectors, including federal protections and state context. This is legal information, not legal advice.
Legal information, not legal advice. This is general legal information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney–client relationship. Laws vary by state and change over time. For advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed attorney.
What you can do here
- 1Ask a free question about debt collection — answers cite the actual law.
- 2Read your state's plain-language guide below — statutes linked.
- 3Go deeper with the attorney-ready situation pack, or browse licensed attorneys.
By jurisdiction
Choose your state
Every jurisdiction has a plain-language guide. The ✓ badge marks states with statute figures verified against primary sources.
TexasCaliforniaFloridaNew YorkGeorgiaArizonaNorth CarolinaIllinoisPennsylvaniaOhioMichiganNew JerseyVirginiaWashingtonMassachusettsTennesseeIndianaMissouriMarylandWisconsinColoradoMinnesotaSouth CarolinaAlabamaLouisianaKentuckyOregonOklahomaConnecticutUtahNevadaArkansasMississippiKansasNew MexicoNebraskaWest VirginiaIdahoHawaiiNew HampshireMaineMontanaRhode IslandDelawareSouth DakotaNorth DakotaAlaskaVermontWyomingIowaDistrict of Columbia
Debt Collection Rights Guide — Situation Pack
Your FDCPA rights when a collector contacts you — debt validation, time-barred debt, and how the process generally works — with a record-keeping checklist. General information, not legal advice.
FreeComing soon
See what's inside