How Do I Remove Negative Items From My Credit Report? (2024)

FAQs

How Do I Remove Negative Items From My Credit Report? ›

You generally cannot have negative but accurate information removed from your credit report. You can, however, dispute accurate information if it appears multiple times. Most negative information will remain in your report for seven years. Some types of information remain longer.

You generally cannot have negative but accurate information removed from your credit report. You can, however, dispute accurate information if it appears multiple times. Most negative information will remain in your report for seven years. Some types of information remain longer.

If you have an old debt on your credit report that should be removed, it's time to contact the credit bureau(s) and dispute the error. When you dispute an old debt, the bureau will open an investigation and ask the creditor reporting it to verify the debt. If it can't, the debt has to come off your report.

There's no concrete answer to this question because every credit report is unique, and it will depend on how much the collection is currently affecting your credit score. If it has reduced your credit score by 100 points, removing it will likely boost your score by 100 points.

Generally speaking, negative information such as late or missed payments, accounts that have been sent to collection agencies, accounts not being paid as agreed, or bankruptcies stays on credit reports for approximately seven years.

Fortunately, the Fair Credit Reporting Act protects consumers. Specifically, section 609 of the FCRA gives you the authority to request detailed information about items on your credit report. If the credit reporting agencies can't substantiate a claim on your credit report, they must remove it or correct it.

If there are negative items on your credit report but the information is accurately reported, you can write a goodwill letter to ask the creditor or collection agency to remove the collections account from your report. This isn't guaranteed to work, but it won't hurt to ask.

What is a goodwill letter or late payment removal letter? In a goodwill letter, sometimes called a late payment removal letter, you ask the creditor that reported your late payments to remove the derogatory mark from your credit reports.

Unpaid debts and debts in collections also generally come off your credit reports after seven years. However, it's unwise to leave debts unpaid in the hopes that they will simply disappear. Debt collectors can continue to take steps to recover what they are owed, which may include pursuing legal action against you.

Is it illegal to pay for delete? ›

"As to the debt collector, you can ask them to pay for delete," says McClelland. "This is completely legal under the FCRA. If going this route, you will need to get that in writing, so you can enforce it after the fact."

If you are able to get a pay-for-delete from a collection agency, it may help your credit. But the delinquent account with the original creditor will still remain on your credit report. A collection account paid in full reflects better on your credit report.

Pay-for-delete letter example

I am (your full name), and I have an account with you (account number). I am reaching out today with a request to pay (dollar amount) in exchange for removing the debt from all credit reporting agencies. If an agreement is reached, I will pay this amount by (date of payment).

Request a "goodwill deletion"

In the letter, it may help to point out that you have previously made consistently on-time payments and plan to continue that payment pattern. Then, ask the creditor to remove the negative item. If they agree to do so, the negative item will subsequently be removed from your credit report.

Most negative items should automatically fall off your credit reports seven years from the date of your first missed payment, at which point your credit score may start rising. But if you are otherwise using credit responsibly, your score may rebound to its starting point within three months to six years.

A credit reporting company generally can report most negative information for seven years. Information about a lawsuit or a judgment against you can be reported for seven years or until the statute of limitations runs out, whichever is longer. Bankruptcies can stay on your report for up to ten years.

Paying off collections could increase scores from the latest credit scoring models, but if your lender uses an older version, your score might not change. Regardless of whether it will raise your score quickly, paying off collection accounts is usually a good idea.

They say they can get any item off your report, but only real inaccuracies can be removed permanently—and you can do that yourself for free. Credit repair companies make sure you know when these items are removed, but don't tell you when they show up again.

If the derogatory mark is in error, you can file a dispute with the credit bureaus to get negative information removed from your credit reports. You can see all three of your credit reports for free on a weekly basis. If the derogatory marks are not errors, you'll need to wait for them to age off your credit reports.