How do I remove derogatory accounts off my credit score after they have been settled?

Question

I have 3 derogatory accounts on my credit score. I have settled them. They were charge offs and I settled them through a collection agency. Is there any way to remove these accounts becasue I think they are absolutely killing my credit score. Also, they have not been reported as being settled yet. I just settled them a month a go. Does anyone know how long it usually takes for the collection agency to report these settlements? Please help.

Answer 1

You have just stumbled into the trap that I have tried warning people about for months now!

There are only two ways to get a negative item removed from your credit history.

1) The creditor must remove it
2) The creditor fails to respond to a credit bureau investigation request.

Once you have paid the creditor, you are going to find it extremely difficult to get them to cooperate in fixing your credit.

That is why I warn people who are going to pay off old debts...make the creditor agree IN WRITING to delete the entry once the bill has been paid off. Don't pay them a dime unless they agree to do it.

Now you are broke, and you still have bad credit. Is that fair?

All you can do now is start the dispute process. Note that even though you paid off this debt, the creditor is only REQUIRED to show that the debt has been paid off, but it will still show reports of late payments, charge offs and collections. It will still be a negative report.

But it at least should show the bill is paid. Failure of the credit to update your credit history is a violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. If they don't update the listing, you can sue them for $1000 in small claims court.

Send a dispute letter to both the credit bureau and the creditor. But note that it sometimes takes a couple of months for these updates to show up on your report, so you need to be patient.

Answer 2

Yes your credit score will decrease, but not because you settled, it is because when you paid the account you made "new" activity against an old debt, bringing the account to current status. The older a debt is the less impact it has on your credit report. Also you should know that: (Never trust what a debt collector tells you) 1) Charge-offs are huge negative marks on your credit report and they will stay on your credit report for 7 1/2 years...even if you later settle for less or even pay the debt back in full. Once a debt has been charged-off there is absolutely nothing that can remove it before the end of the reporting period. 2) Paying old collection will not remove them from your credit report...full payment or settled payment UNLESS the debt collector agrees to remove the account from your credit report in exchange for payment. The agreement is called a "pay for deletion". 3) If a third party debt collector has your account, and it is a credit card account that was charged-off by the original creditor, even if the debt collector gives or agrees to a pay for deletion agreement, it will only remove the collection account, the original charge-off by the original lender will still be reported. Nothing removes a charge-off.

Answer 3

Derogatory Credit

Answer 4

You can't take them off. I think they stay on for 7 years, and from personal experience, I can tell you it is very difficult to even get the accounts corrected so that they show they have been paid. For instance, you say they were charged off and settled through a collection agency. The company that sold the debt doesn't have to put anything on your credit report saying so, so it will look like you owe them that money for the next 7 years. Doesn't seem fair, but it's true. Also, if you made a deal with the collection agency to make a lump sum payment that was lower than the total amount due, they can leave it so that the amount you didn't pay (and they agreed you didn't have to) will show as owed and overdue for the next 7 years. Sorry to tell you, but you are screwed. For anyone else reading this, protect your credit rating-- it can make a HUGE difference in your life, from where you live to even whether you can get a certain job, sometimes. Be smart and don't live beyond your means!!! (In my case, it was an unexpected illness, but that doesn't matter to anyone. I got behind, and that's that.) For what it's worth, I have friends who got in similar trouble, and rather than stick it out and eventually pay everything off, as I did, they declared bankruptcy and avoided all the debt they had run up (without any illness, I might add- they just spent more than they made). Their credit scores are now 100 points higher than mine. Go figure. I think the new bankruptcy laws make it harder to file, though. Good Luck!!

Answer 5

You may want to contact the credit bureau's and tell them that the accounts have been paid off. They have 30 days to investigate and get back to you. It won't be removed, but will show paid. Only time will remove it completely. Negative information can stay on your report for up to 7 years, as I recall, unless it is a bankruptcy. In any case, once the collections show as paid, it should dramatically improve your credit score.

Answer 6

Yes, dipute them.

You may have to do it over and over and over but with persistance you will prevail.

Studley is correct, you should always attempt to get something in writing stating that they will remove the item if you settle it, honestly; it is rare for that to happen.

Now that you have settled these debts, it is likely that if you keep disputing them, eventually, they will stop reverify them and they will fall off.....

This company does a great job and they are a member of the BBB with no complaints: http://www.expert-credit-advice.com/credit_repair_service.htm

You can do this yourself for no more then the cost of postage and there is a free kit on their website if you want to give it a whirl!

Answer 7

You are going to have to get with the companies that actually put that info on your report . They can assist in taking it off. Good Luck and God Bless

Answer 8

Sounds really interested

Answer 9

Thank you for the replies, much appreciated!