Credit law tracker

Laws about credit reports change every year, and the rules can differ from one state to the next. This tracker explains, in plain English, the state and federal laws that affect what can appear on your credit reports and what rights you have.

It is here for education and to help you monitor your own credit with confidence. We do not offer credit repair. Everything on these pages is something you can do yourself, for free, using the official source linked on each entry.

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Federal laws and rules

The Fair Credit Reporting Act and federal rules from the CFPB and the FTC apply in every state.

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H.385, Act 106 of 2026: remedies and protections for victims of coerced debt

Enacted

Jurisdiction: Vermont
Citation:: Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 9, 2495a to 2495d; 2480d (amended)
Effective:: Jul 1, 2028

Vermont will bar creditors and collectors from pursuing coerced debt once a victim provides supporting documentation, require creditors to investigate, and give victims civil remedies. It also adds duties for credit reporting agencies handling coerced debt disputes. The main coerced debt sections take effect July 1, 2028.

What you can do

Until 2028, use the federal identity theft process at IdentityTheft.gov if the debt was opened without your consent.

Official sources

Source checked Sep 29, 2026

Coerced debt (S1353-B, Ch. 710 of 2025, as amended by S8830, Ch. 90 of 2026)

In effect

Jurisdiction: New York
Citation:: N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law art. 29-HHH, 604-aa to 604-dd
Effective:: Jun 17, 2026

New York lets you challenge a consumer debt that someone forced you into through coercion, intimidation, threats or force in settings such as intimate relationships, family, human trafficking, and child or elder abuse. After you give a creditor adequate documentation, such as a police report or court order, it must stop collecting within 10 business days and finish a review within 30 business days. The law applies to debts incurred on or after June 17, 2026.

What you can do

Gather a police report, court order or similar record and send it to the creditor with a written notice.

Official sources

Source checked Sep 29, 2026

HB 3352: Collection Agency Act, coerced debt (Public Act 104-0297)

In effect

Jurisdiction: Illinois
Citation:: Pub. Act 104-0297; 205 ILCS 740
Effective:: Jan 1, 2026

If a debt was taken out in your name through fraud, duress, trafficking or domestic violence, you can send a collection agency a written statement with support such as a police report, court order or qualified third-party verification. The agency must pause collection and tell credit bureaus it reported to that you dispute the debt, and if it finds the debt was coerced it must ask the bureaus to delete it.

What you can do

Send the collection agency a written coerced debt statement with your supporting documents and keep a copy.

Official sources

Source checked Sep 29, 2026

This is general education, not legal advice. Laws change; check the official source linked on each entry.