How to Write a Re-Aging Debt Letter (2024)

Table of Contents
Re-Aging a Debt Account Is Illegal and It Destroys Your Credit The Date of First Delinquency Negatively Impacts Your Credit Score Do The Following if Your Debt Account has Been Re-Aged Request Documentation About the Debt Find Proof of Re-Aging on Your Account Dispute the Collection with Documentation Check the Statute of Limitations to Have Your Debt Dismissed Report Debt Re-Aging to the FTC Report the Collection Agency to the CFPB Use This Re-Aging Debt Letter Template Keep Your Goal in Mind for Writing a Re-Aging Debt Letter What is SoloSuit? How to Answer a Summons for debt collection in all 50 states Guides on how to resolve debt with every debt collector Resolve your debt with your creditor Settle your medical debt Guides on arbitration Stop calls from debt collectors Federal debt collection laws can protect you Get debt relief in your state Debt collection laws in all 50 states Statute of limitations on debt state guides Check the status of your court case How to stop wage garnishment in your state Other wage garnishment resources How to settle a debt in your state How to settle with every debt collector Other debt settlement resources Personal loan and debt relief reviews How to repair and improve your credit score How to resolve student loan debt Civil law legal definitions Get answers to these FAQs on debt collection How-to debt guides Learn more with these additional debt resources FAQs

Chloe Meltzer | December 07, 2023

How to Write a Re-Aging Debt Letter (1)

Legal Expert
Chloe Meltzer, MA

Chloe Meltzer is an experienced content writer specializing in legal content creation. She holds a degree in English Literature from Arizona State University, complemented by a Master’s in Marketing from California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo.

Edited by Hannah Locklear

How to Write a Re-Aging Debt Letter (2)

Editor at SoloSuit
Hannah Locklear, BA

Hannah Locklear is SoloSuit’s Marketing and Impact Manager. With an educational background in Linguistics, Spanish, and International Development from Brigham Young University, Hannah has also worked as a legal support specialist for several years.

How to Write a Re-Aging Debt Letter (3)

Summary: Thinking that the dates don't match up on your debts? Learn how to write a re-aging debt letter to have your debt lawsuit dismissed.

Re-aging is a serious violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. If you notice any signs of re-aging, it is essential to take action. Re-aging a credit account is not only illegal, but it causes older negative accounts to appear to be more recent. This eventually leads to ruining your credit score.

Neither creditors nor debt collectors can re-age an account. From the moment an account ages, it cannot be taken back in time. Regardless of how many times an account is sold from one collector to another, the date of first delinquency (DOFD) cannot change.

Re-Aging a Debt Account Is Illegal and It Destroys Your Credit

To get technical, re-aging is an illegal act due to FCRA Section 623(5)(A). This law states:

“In general. A person who furnishes information to a consumer reporting agency regarding a delinquent account being placed for collection, charged to profit or loss, or subjected to any similar action shall, not later than 90 days after furnishing the information, notify the agency of the date of delinquency on the account, which shall be the month and year of the commencement of the delinquency on the account that immediately preceded the action.”

Essentially, re-aging an account means that a debt states differently than the original date of the first debt. If there is a different date (meaning it has been changed) it is an illegal practice of re-aging. Re-aging is illegal under the FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act) for a few reasons. Not only will re-aging allow a collection to remain on your credit reports in-perpetuity, but because it can seriously destroy your credit.

Use SoloSuit to respond to debt collectors and protect your credit score.

The Date of First Delinquency Negatively Impacts Your Credit Score

The DOFD, known as the date of first delinquency, determines how long a negative account can remain on your credit report. Officially, the DOFD is the date that your account became 30 days late with no payments made. Negative credit items can remain on your credit report after 7 years from the DOFD. All collection agencies must comply with this amount of time, and abide by the DOFD. If they do not, then you have the right to take legal action against both the creditor and the credit bureau.

Do The Following if Your Debt Account has Been Re-Aged

Re-aging is an extremely illegal act that can be detrimental to your credit score, and your life as a whole. Low credit scores not only mean that you may have trouble getting a house loan, but you may even lose your current housing, it can affect your job, and it will be impossible to obtain a loan. If you believe that you are a victim of re-aging, you must take action.

See Also
Can Creditors Take Your Social Security? | BankrateGuide to Elderly Debt Collection LawsRetired and in Debt: Help for Senior CitizensWhat You Need to Know About Judgment Proof Status

Request Documentation About the Debt

The first step if you believe your debt account has been re-aged is to request documentation from the credit account. This is not yet a dispute letter, but only a letter requesting your “consumer disclosure file.” This file provides you a lot of different information that will help you when you do write your re-aging debt letter.

Respond to debt collection lawsuits fast with SoloSuit.

Clearly state what you are asking for including:

  • Account name
  • Account number
  • Date of delinquency
  • FCRA compliance date
  • Name of the agency who reported the DOFD

You will also be required to pay the processing fee of $12.

Find Proof of Re-Aging on Your Account

The next step is to secure the proof of re-aging. This means that the collection account must match the DOFD of the original creditor you owe. If the collection agency shows a more recent date, then re-aging has occurred.

Dispute the Collection with Documentation

At this point, you have proof of the re-aging of your account. This means you will need to write to the collection company with a dispute.

State who you are, who the original creditor is, and the account you are disputing. You should request the account be deleted immediately, and include documentation of why.

Make a solid defense with SoloSuit.

Check the Statute of Limitations to Have Your Debt Dismissed

It is good to note that if it has been a while since you have been contacted regarding the debt, disputing the debt can sometimes renew the efforts to collect. If the statute of limitations has expired, then the debt will be dismissed.

The statute of limitations on a debt is a legal date on which the debt expires and you can no longer be paid. Although it varies in every state, typically the statute of limitations will last anywhere from four to six years.

Report Debt Re-Aging to the FTC

Re-aging is a serious crime under the FCRA, so it is essential you report it to the Federal Trade Commission. You can also report this to your State's Attorney General. The entire time it is essential to keep all documentation in regards to your case.

Report the Collection Agency to the CFPB

After reporting the re-aging to the FCRA, and filing a dispute with the credit bureau, you should also report the collection agency to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). You have various consumer rights, and they must be preserved.

Use This Re-Aging Debt Letter Template

There is a simple format to write a re-aging debt letter. It should read as follows:

“To whom it may concern,

I am inquiring about my account with the name of [account name]. The account number is: [account number].

Please provide my consumer disclosure file under FCRA Section 609(a)(1). I am also requesting the date of first delinquency, as well as the FCRA compliance date, along with the name of the party who reported the date of first delinquency.

My rights dictate my ability to obtain this information.”

Keep Your Goal in Mind for Writing a Re-Aging Debt Letter

If you are writing a re-aging debt letter you should do so with the full intention of having all of your information deleted. This means that instead of asking for your account to be corrected in a dispute letter, you should only state that you know the debt was re-aged, and it needs to be erased. Be sure to provide clear and concise information, with plenty of proof to support your claim.

What is SoloSuit?

SoloSuit makes it easy to respond to a debt collection lawsuit.

How it works: SoloSuit is a step-by-step web-app that asks you all the necessary questions to complete your answer. Upon completion, you can either print the completed forms and mail in the hard copies to the courts or you can pay SoloSuit to file it for you and to have an attorney review the document.

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"First time getting sued by a debt collector and I was searching all over YouTube and ran across SoloSuit, so I decided to buy their services with their attorney reviewed documentation which cost extra but it was well worth it! SoloSuit sent the documentation to the parties and to the court which saved me time from having to go to court and in a few weeks the case got dismissed!" – James

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See Also
How to Avoid Paying a Judgment

>>Read the FastCompany article: Debt Lawsuits Are Complicated: This Website Makes Them Simpler To Navigate

>>Read the NPR story on SoloSuit: A Student Solution To Give Utah Debtors A Fighting Chance

How to Answer a Summons for debt collection in all 50 states

Here's a list of guides on how to respond to a debt collection lawsuit in each state:

The Ultimate 50 State Guide

Guides on how to resolve debt with every debt collector

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Resolve your debt with your creditor

Some creditors, banks, and lenders have an internal collections department. If they come after you for a debt, Solosuit can still help you respond and resolve the debt. Here’s a list of guides on how to resolve debt with different creditors.

Settle your medical debt

Having a health challenge is stressful, but dealing medical debt on top of it is overwhelming. Here are some resources on how to manage medical debt.

Guides on arbitration

If the thought of going to court stresses you out, you’re not alone. Many Americans who are sued for credit card debt utilize a Motion to Compel Arbitration to push their case out of court and into arbitration.

Below are some resources on how to use an arbitration clause to your advantage and win a debt lawsuit.

Stop calls from debt collectors

Do you keep getting calls from an unknown number, only to realize that it’s a debt collector on the other line? If you’ve been called by any of the following numbers, chances are you have collectors coming after you, and we’ll tell you how to stop them.

Federal debt collection laws can protect you

Knowing your rights makes it easier to stand up for your rights. Below, we’ve compiled all our articles on federal debt collection laws that protect you from unfair practices.

Debt collection laws in all 50 states

Debt collection laws vary by state, so we have compiled a guide to each state’s debt collection laws to make it easier for you to stand up for your rights—no matter where you live.

Statute of limitations on debt state guides

Like all debt collection laws, the statute of limitations on debt varies by state. So, we wrote a guide on each state’s statutes. Check it out below.

Statute of Limitations on Debt Collection by State (Best Guide)

Check the status of your court case

Don’t have time to go to your local courthouse to check the status of your case? We’ve created a guide on how to check the status of your case in every state, complete with online search tools and court directories.

How to stop wage garnishment in your state

Forgot to respond to your debt lawsuit? The judge may have ordered a default judgment against you, and with a default judgment, debt collectors can garnish your wages. Here are our guides on how to stop wage garnishment in all 50 states.

Other wage garnishment resources

How to settle a debt in your state

Debt settlement is one of the most effective ways to resolve a debt and save money. We’ve created a guide on how to settle your debt in all 50 states. Find out how to settle in your state with a simple click and explore other debt settlement resources below.

How to settle with every debt collector

Not sure how to negotiate a debt settlement with a debt collector? We are creating guides to help you know how to start the settlement conversation and increase your chances of coming to an agreement with every debt collector.

Other debt settlement resources

Personal loan and debt relief reviews

We give a factual review of the following debt consolidation, debt settlement, and loan organizations and companies to help you make an informed decision before you take on a debt.

How to repair and improve your credit score

Debt has a big impact on your credit. Below is a list of guides on how to repair and improve your credit, even while managing major debt.

How to resolve student loan debt

Struggling with student debt? SoloSuit’s got you covered. Below are resources on handling student loan debt.

Civil law legal definitions

You can represent yourself in court. Save yourself the time and cost of finding an attorney, and use the following resources to understand legal definitions better and how they may apply to your case.

Get answers to these FAQs on debt collection

How-to debt guides

Learn more with these additional debt resources


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How to Write a Re-Aging Debt Letter (2024)

FAQs

How to Write a Re-Aging Debt Letter? ›

If you are writing a re-aging debt letter you should do so with the full intention of having all of your information deleted. This means that instead of asking for your account to be corrected in a dispute letter, you should only state that you know the debt was re-aged, and it needs to be erased.

Read On ›
Can a debt collector reage a debt? ›

Unethical debt collectors might also illegally re-age a debt by reporting it to credit bureaus after they purchase it in the secondary market, even though they have no idea how old it is or whether any money is still owed.

Discover More Details ›
How do I write a letter to dispute the validity of a debt? ›

I am writing in regards to the above-referenced debt to inform you that I am disputing this debt. Please verify the debt as required by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. I am disputing this debt because I do not owe it. Because I am disputing this debt, you should not report it to the credit reporting agencies.

Continue Reading ›
How to write a debt forgiveness letter? ›

Unfortunately, my circ*mstances are unlikely to improve in the foreseeable future and I have no assets to sell to help clear my debt. I am therefore asking you to consider writing off my debt as I can see no way of ever repaying it. If you are unable to agree to this, please explain your reasons.

See Details ›
How do you start a recovery letter? ›

Begin your letter with a warm and loving tone. Example: I hope this letter finds you well. I want to start by expressing my deep love and concern for you. I understand that addiction is a complex and challenging struggle, and I want you to know that I am here for you every step of the way.

Find Out More ›
How do I request debt forgiveness? ›

The borrower can apply for debt forgiveness on compassionate grounds by writing about the financial difficulties and requesting the creditor to cancel the debt amount.

Tell Me More ›
How do you dispute a re aging debt letter? ›

If you are writing a re-aging debt letter you should do so with the full intention of having all of your information deleted. This means that instead of asking for your account to be corrected in a dispute letter, you should only state that you know the debt was re-aged, and it needs to be erased.

Show Me More ›
What is the 609 loophole? ›

2) What is the 609 loophole? The “609 loophole” is a misconception. Section 609 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) allows consumers to request their credit file information. It does not guarantee the removal of negative items but requires credit bureaus to verify the accuracy of disputed information.

Explore More ›
How do I write a letter to settle a debt? ›

Most debt settlement letters include:
  1. The date, name, and address of the credit card company.
  2. A notation after the address that this is regarding a hardship letter.
  3. The credit card number and amount of the debt.
  4. A short statement of your financial situation, why you're in that situation, and why full payment is a hardship.
Jan 9, 2024

Continue Reading ›
How to get old debt written off? ›

Which debt solutions write off debts?
  1. Bankruptcy: Writes off unsecured debts if you cannot repay them. Any assets like a house or car may be sold.
  2. Debt relief order (DRO): Writes off debts if you have a relatively low level of debt. Must also have few assets.
  3. Individual voluntary arrangement (IVA): A formal agreement.

Show Me More ›

What is a drop dead letter? ›

What is a “drop dead” letter? A “drop dead” letter is written notification from you to any collection agencies that are harassing you. It informs the agencies that you're aware of your rights under FDCPA and that you're requesting they stop contacting you about a given debt — effective immediately!

Read The Full Story ›
What is a hardship letter for debt? ›

A financial hardship occurs when a person cannot make payments toward their debt. A financial hardship letter is the best way to explain why your account is behind schedule. Lenders may use them to determine whether to offer relief through reduced, deferred, or suspended payments.

See Details ›
How to write a letter to settle a debt? ›

Most debt settlement letters include:
  1. The date, name, and address of the credit card company.
  2. A notation after the address that this is regarding a hardship letter.
  3. The credit card number and amount of the debt.
  4. A short statement of your financial situation, why you're in that situation, and why full payment is a hardship.
Jan 9, 2024

Get More Info Here ›
How do I write a hardship letter for debt? ›

Your hardship letter should include the following essential steps:
  1. Write an introduction. ...
  2. Detail your hardship. ...
  3. Highlight how you're being proactive about your financial situation. ...
  4. State your request. ...
  5. Provide assurance of financial recovery. ...
  6. Submit supporting documentation.
Jul 11, 2023

Continue Reading ›
How do I write a letter to cancel debt? ›

I respectfully request that you forgive my alleged debt, as my condition precludes any employment, and my current and future income does not support any debt repayment. Please respond to my request in writing to the address below at your earliest convenience. Thank-you in advance for your understanding of my situation.

View More ›
How to write a demand letter for outstanding debt? ›

Sample Demand Letter for Payment

[XXXX], dated [Invoice Date], in the amount of [Amount Due]. As of today, [Date], this payment is [Number of Days] days overdue. Despite our previous reminders sent on [Dates], we have not yet received this payment. We respectfully request that the full amount be paid by [Deadline].

View Details ›
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