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Debt Pricing Guide 2026: what buyers pay for charged-off debt
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Short answer: Debt buyers usually pay a few cents per dollar of face value. The FTC's 2013 study of the largest buyers found an average of 4.0 cents, 7.9 cents for debt under three years old, 2.2 cents for 6 to 15 years and almost nothing beyond 15 years. Fresher, better-documented and secured debt sells for more.
How much do debt buyers pay, by debt type and age?
| Debt type | Age / stage | Price (cents per $1 face) | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All consumer debt (largest buyers, 2006–2009 purchases) | All ages | 4.0¢ | Verified: public report | FTC 2013, Structure and Practices of the Debt Buying Industry |
| Consumer debt | Under 3 years since charge-off | 7.9¢ | Verified: public report | FTC 2013 |
| Consumer debt | 3–6 years | Between 2.2¢ and 7.9¢ | Not published by FTC; range between its neighboring bands | FTC 2013 (bands only) |
| Consumer debt | 6–15 years | 2.2¢ | Verified: public report | FTC 2013 |
| Consumer debt | Over 15 years | About 0¢ | Verified: public report (buyers paid virtually nothing) | FTC 2013 |
| Fresh charged-off credit card (forward flow) | Freshly charged off, 2009 | 6.0¢ contract; 6.5¢–8.0¢ market quotes | Verified: public SEC filing (2009 data, one buyer) | Encore Capital SEC correspondence, 2009 |
| Charged-off consumer receivables, cumulative | Mixed ages, purchases through 2003 | 2.2¢ average ($285.4M paid for $12.7B face) | Verified: public SEC filing (one buyer, historical) | Encore Capital investor presentation filed with SEC, 2004 |
| Medical debt | Mixed | Below credit card; secondary sources ~0.5¢–4¢ | UNVERIFIED range. FTC confirms only the direction (lower than card) | FTC 2013; Debexpert (industry blog) |
| Utility & telecom | Mixed | Below credit card; secondary sources ~0.5¢–4¢ | UNVERIFIED range. FTC confirms only the direction | FTC 2013; Debexpert |
| Mortgage notes (non-performing, secured) | Mixed | 15¢–30¢ | UNVERIFIED. Secured; priced on collateral and yield. FTC confirms mortgage above card | FTC 2013 (direction); Debexpert |
| Auto / BHPH deficiency balances | Post-repossession | 5¢–20¢ | UNVERIFIED broker marketing figures | No public primary source found |
| Private student loans (defaulted) | Mixed | One reported example ~4.5¢ | UNVERIFIED single example | No public primary source found |
| Court judgments | Any | No public benchmark | No reliable public data; priced case by case (debtor assets, judgment age, state) | None |
| Business (B2B) receivables | Any | No public benchmark | No reliable public data; depends on debtor solvency and documentation | None |
Rows marked UNVERIFIED come from industry marketing or single examples, not primary data. Treat them as rough indications only. Every figure is historical; none is an offer.
Why does age matter so much?
Older debt has fewer reachable consumers, weaker documentation and more accounts near or past the statute of limitations. The FTC found that price falls steeply with age, from 7.9 cents under three years to about zero beyond 15 years.
What else moves the price?
- Prior collection placements (fresh, primary, secondary, tertiary).
- Media and chain of title: statements, contracts, assignments.
- State mix, licensing and statute-of-limitations exposure.
- Secured vs. unsecured, and portfolio size.
How was this guide built?
We used only public primary sources: the FTC staff report (January 2013, based on 2006–2009 purchases by the nine largest buyers) and Encore Capital Group documents filed with the SEC. Where no primary source exists we say so, or label the secondary figure UNVERIFIED. We plan to update the guide quarterly. Cite as: SellChargeOffs, Debt Pricing Guide 2026, https://sellchargeoffs.com/debt-pricing-guide.
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General information only, not legal, tax or accounting advice.
Related guide: How much do debt buyers pay for debt? · All seller guides