What This Statute Says
This is the deadline that controls most consumer debt and most written contract claims in Arizona. Six years runs from accrual, which generally means the date of breach or the date of last payment under continuing obligations.
A. An action for debt shall be commenced and prosecuted within six years after the cause of action accrues, and not afterward, if the indebtedness is evidenced by or founded on either of the following:
A.R.S. § 12-548When This Statute Comes Into Play
Estate scenarios:
- A credit card company files a claim against the estate for a balance carried for years.
- A written promissory note between family members is presented to the personal representative.
- A small business creditor seeks payment under an old written services agreement.
Conflict-of-laws provisions in subsection B address choice-of-law issues when the contract was executed in another jurisdiction.
What This Means for Arizona Families
Credit card debt is one of the most common claims filed against Arizona estates. The six-year deadline is generous compared with most other consumer claims, which means that genuinely old debts can still be enforceable when probate opens. Personal representatives need to evaluate every written contract claim against this calendar.
If you receive a creditor claim against an estate based on a written contract or credit card, do not pay it without confirming both the underlying balance and the timing. Our FAQ on creditor claim deadlines in Arizona probate walks through the parallel nonclaim statute deadline. Even valid claims may be barred by the nonclaim period if the creditor missed the probate window. An Arizona probate attorney can sort which old written debts must be honored, which were already too late when probate opened, and which can be discharged at less than face value through negotiation. The personal representative who handles every written contract claim with care protects the estate from overpaying and the beneficiaries from a smaller distribution.