State file — Alaska

Alaska debt collection: the deadlines and limits that decide your case

Every number below names the law it comes from (its statute citation), checked October 18, 2026. Where a number comes from a secondary source instead of the official text, this page says so — double-check it before you rely on it.

How long they have to sue you — credit-card debt	3 years · Alaska Stat. §09.10.053 One 3-year period for actions 'upon a contract or liability, express or implied' — read on akleg.gov this pass; old roundups listing 6 years for written contracts are stale.
If the clock has run out	Paying part of it, or signing a written statement that the debt is yours, can restart it. Alaska Stat. §09.10.200 From a secondary source — double-check before you rely on it An acknowledgment or promise counts only if in a writing signed by the party to be charged; the statute expressly 'does not alter the effect of any payment of principal or interest,' so a part payment retains its common-law restarting effect.
Deadline to answer a lawsuit	20 days after service of summons and complaint in state court · Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(a) From a secondary source — double-check before you rely on it
Taking your paycheck (wage garnishment)	More protective than the federal cap. More protective than federal: the creditor must leave weekly net earnings up to a statutory $350 floor (AS 09.38.030), administratively adjusted to $473/week, or $743/week for a sole wage earner who files the required affidavit; the federal 25%/30x-minimum-wage ceiling also applies, whichever protects more. Alaska Stat. §§09.38.030, 09.38.050; 8 AAC 95.030 From a secondary source — double-check before you rely on it
Taking your bank account (a levy)	The earnings exemption follows wages into liquid assets: AS 09.38.030 also caps the aggregate cash/liquid assets a creditor can reach for debtors without regular earnings ($1,400/month statutory figure, adjusted alongside the earnings floor); exempt benefit payments stay protected. Alaska Stat. §09.38.030 From a secondary source — double-check before you rely on it Federal benefits deposited directly get an automatic two-month shield everywhere (31 CFR Part 212).
Original creditor calling?	Partially — No FDCPA-style collection act. The general UDAP statute can reach deceptive collection conduct by creditors themselves, but it has no validation, communication, or licensing rules specific to debt collection. (Alaska Stat. §45.50.471)
How long a judgment lasts	10 years — No separate renewal mechanism found; an action on a judgment must itself be brought within 10 years · Alaska Stat. §09.10.040

Run my dates through the free checker

Card agreements often pick another state's law (Delaware for Chase, Bank of America, Discover, Barclays; South Dakota for Citi and Wells Fargo). A court may use the shorter of the two deadlines, under a rule called a borrowing statute — the free checker works out both clocks for you.

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The letter builder — answer a few questions and it writes your letters: the one that makes them prove the debt is yours, and the one that orders them to stop calling. Wording follows the federal rulebook (Regulation F). Ready to print and mail
The old-debt trap worksheet — checks your dates against your state's restart rule before you pay or sign anything, so one small payment can't quietly restart the clock on an old debt (the trap lawyers call 'revival')
The call log — counts their calls against the legal line: more than 7 calls in 7 days about one debt counts as harassment (12 CFR 1006.14(b)(2))
The 'what they can't take' pack — what a court judgment can and cannot take in your state, including the rule that shields two months of federal benefits sitting in your bank account (31 CFR Part 212)
The offer-math worksheet — what a 'deal' really costs once fees and the tax on the written-off part are counted (that tax shows up on Form 1099-C)
The complaint walkthrough and the honest directory — who to call instead when a free or better route fits you

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Quick answers

What is the statute of limitations on credit card debt in Alaska?

3 years under Alaska Stat. §09.10.053. The clock usually starts at the first missed payment that was never made up. Debt collectors may still call after it runs out, but Regulation F (12 CFR 1006.26(b)) bars them from suing — or threatening to sue — over a debt that is too old (time-barred).

Can paying a little restart the clock in Alaska?

Paying part of it, or signing a written statement that the debt is yours, can restart it. (Alaska Stat. §09.10.200).

How long do I have to answer a debt-collection lawsuit in Alaska?

20 days after service of summons and complaint in state court (Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(a)). Most of these cases are lost by default — by never answering at all.

Can a debt collector garnish my wages in Alaska?

More protective than federal: the creditor must leave weekly net earnings up to a statutory $350 floor (AS 09.38.030), administratively adjusted to $473/week, or $743/week for a sole wage earner who files the required affidavit; the federal 25%/30x-minimum-wage ceiling also applies, whichever protects more. (Alaska Stat. §§09.38.030, 09.38.050; 8 AAC 95.030).

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