Many creditors send your account to a debt collector if you have left it unpaid for several months. The debt collector will then have the job of pursuing you for payment by calling you and sending letters, sometimes even making an offer to settle on the debt.
Once the debt collector has been assigned or the account sold, part of their practice is to list the account on your credit report showing that you have an outstanding debt. Because it indicates severe delinquency, having a debt collection on your credit report hurts your credit score. Even though a collection will affect your credit less as it gets older, the entry will remain on your credit report for seven years for future creditors and lenders to see and scrutinize. The best option for dealing with collection accounts is to have them removed from your report.
Dispute If It's Not Your Collection
If it's not your debt, you're not required to pay it, and collectors aren't allowed to list it on your credit report. Dispute the error with the credit bureau. Report the collections account and ask to have it removed from your credit report. Provide copies of any evidence you have proving the debt doesn't belong to you.
Even if the debt belongs to you, that doesn't mean the collector is legally able to collect from you. If the debt collector first contacted you within the past 30 days, you can requestdebt validation. This process requires the collector to provide proof that you owe the debt. If the collector can’t validate the debt—or they do not respond to your request—the debt has to be removed from your credit report.
Dispute After 7 Years
According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), past-dueaccounts can only remain on your credit report for seven years from the first date of delinquency. Sneaky collectors often try to re-age a debt, making it look like the account became delinquent later than it did. This re-aging keeps the debt on your credit report longer.
Note
If the seven-year reporting period is up (starting from when you first went delinquent with the original debt), dispute the debt from your credit report. Any proof you have regarding the first date of delinquency will strengthen your dispute.
Dispute When Collectors Sell
Collection accounts often change hands. Debts are assigned and sold to other collectors, so there’s a strong possibility the collection agency listed on your credit report isn’t the agency that's currently collecting on the debt. When this happens, you can have the older collection removed by disputing it with the credit bureaus. If the debt collector fails to respond to the dispute, the credit bureau should remove the account since it has not been verified.
Ask for a Goodwill Deletion
It may be a long shot, especially with collection agencies, but a goodwill deletion request is another option for having debt collections removed from your credit report. A goodwill letter works with accounts that you've already paid. In the letter, you essentially ask the collector to show some mercy, perhaps because you fell on hard times after a major life change, and remove the collection from your credit report.
When All Else Fails
If you’re not able to get the collection account removed from your credit report, pay it anyway. A paid collection is better than an unpaid one and shows future lenders that you’ve taken care of your financial responsibilities. Once you've paid the collection, wait out the credit reporting time limit, and the account will fall off your credit report.
To be sure, however, consumers can request their own credit report for free every 12 months from the three major reporting agencies. It is worth checking your report to be sure the negative information has been removed. It's also important to note that the information may still be kept on file and can be released under certain circ*mstances, such as when applying for a job that pays over a certain amount or applying for a credit line or a life insurance policy worth a lot. You should also check with your state Attorney General's office for more information, as state law may offer additional protections.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How many points will my credit score increase when I pay off collections?
Your credit score may or may not improve when you pay off a debt that's in collections. Some newer models of scoring take this into account, but older ones don't. You can monitor your score before and after paying your debt to see if it improves.
How long does it take before a bill goes to collections?
There's no set time period for creditors to send your debt to collections. Once you miss a payment, you're considered delinquent, but most creditors will make several attempts to contact you and work with you to bring your account back into good standing before they send you to collections. The more you can communicate with your creditors, the better your chances are of keeping collections off your credit report.
FAQs
You can ask the creditor — either the original creditor or a debt collector — for what's called a “goodwill deletion.” Write the collector a goodwill letter explaining your circ*mstances and why you would like the debt removed, such as if you're about to apply for a mortgage.
Can collections be removed from a credit report? ›
You can ask the creditor — either the original creditor or a debt collector — for what's called a “goodwill deletion.” Write the collector a goodwill letter explaining your circ*mstances and why you would like the debt removed, such as if you're about to apply for a mortgage.
How can I remove a collection from my credit report for free? ›
If there are errors regarding collections accounts on your credit report, you have the legal right to dispute them and have them removed. This shouldn't cost you anything. You can also write a goodwill letter to ask the creditor or collection agency to remove the collections account from your report.
How do I get closed collections off my credit report? ›
You can also request the removal of a closed account by writing a goodwill letter to the credit bureaus. A goodwill letter is a formal request asking the credit bureau to remove a closed account from your credit report as a courtesy. Politely ask the credit bureaus to remove the account to improve your credit score.
Does your credit go up when collections are removed? ›
Paying off collection accounts can raise credit scores calculated using FICO® Score 9 and 10 and VantageScore 3.0 and 4.0, but it won't have any effect on scores produced by older FICO scoring models.
Do unpaid collections go away? ›
Collections agency debt
Instead, it'll typically remain there for the standard period of seven years starting from the date it was filed. Under certain conditions, however, the collections agency can remove the report from your credit profile early.
What is a legal loophole to remove collections from credit report? ›
A 609 Dispute Letter is often billed as a credit repair secret or legal loophole that forces the credit reporting agencies to remove certain negative information from your credit reports. And if you're willing, you can spend big bucks on templates for these magical dispute letters.
How do I get a collection removed immediately? ›
How can you remove collections from a credit report?
- Step 1: Ask for proof. There needs to be evidence that the debt is genuinely yours to pay for it to stay on your credit report. ...
- Step 2: Look for and report inaccuracies. ...
- Step 3: Ask for a pay-for-delete agreement. ...
- Step 4: Write a goodwill letter to your creditor.
You can sue the debt collector for violating the FDCPA. If you sue under the FDCPA and win, the debt collector must generally pay your attorney's fees and may also have to pay you damages. If you're having trouble with debt collection, you can submit a complaint with the CFPB.
Can you have a 700 credit score with collections? ›
It is theoretically possible to get a 700 credit score with a collection account on your credit report. However, it is not common with traditional scoring models. A derogatory mark like a collection account on your credit report can make it incredibly difficult to obtain a good credit score like 700 or over.
Successfully disputing inaccurate information is the only surefire way to get collections removed from your credit report. If you've repaid a debt and the collection account remains on your credit report, you can request a goodwill deletion from your creditor, though there's no guarantee they'll grant your request.
What happens if you never pay collections? ›
If you don't pay, the collection agency can sue you to try to collect the debt. If successful, the court may grant them the authority to garnish your wages or bank account or place a lien on your property. You can defend yourself in a debt collection lawsuit or file bankruptcy to stop collection actions.
Is it true that after 7 years your credit is clear? ›
Highlights: Most negative information generally stays on credit reports for 7 years. Bankruptcy stays on your Equifax credit report for 7 to 10 years, depending on the bankruptcy type. Closed accounts paid as agreed stay on your Equifax credit report for up to 10 years.
Is it worth paying off collections? ›
Collection accounts may affect your credit scores and may stay on your credit reports for up to seven years. Paying off collection accounts can have a lot of benefits, including potentially improving some of your credit scores.
Can I pay to delete collections? ›
Removing Collection Accounts From a Credit Report
"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."
Is it better to have a collection removed or paid in full? ›
Pay the bill, even without a pay-for-delete offer.
A collection account paid in full reflects better on your credit report. Plus, newer versions of the FICO and VantageScore credit scoring models only ding your credit for unpaid collections accounts.
Does paying off collections improve credit score? ›
For some credit scoring models, paying off collection accounts may improve credit scores. FICO® Score 9, FICO Score 10, VantageScore® 3.0 and VantageScore 4.0 credit scoring models penalize unpaid collection accounts. Paying off collection accounts may help improve these scores.
