[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/personal-finance\/credit\/how-to-remove-negative-items-from-credit-report\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/personal-finance\/credit\/how-to-remove-negative-items-from-credit-report\/","headline":"How to Remove Negative Items From Your Credit Report","name":"How to Remove Negative Items From Your Credit Report","description":"You’re working hard to improve your credit. But you have two or three \u2013...","datePublished":"2020-01-16","dateModified":"2023-04-21","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/author\/kevin-mercadante\/#Person","name":"Kevin Mercadante","url":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/author\/kevin-mercadante\/","identifier":36,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/72a4429f18d847c46a70224bd484ffbfb23442f656c1f81e0cc5332f6886d670?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/72a4429f18d847c46a70224bd484ffbfb23442f656c1f81e0cc5332f6886d670?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Money Done Right","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Money-Done-Right-Personal-Finance-and-Investing-Blog.png","url":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Money-Done-Right-Personal-Finance-and-Investing-Blog.png","width":488,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/remove-negative-items-from-report.jpg","url":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/remove-negative-items-from-report.jpg","height":630,"width":1702},"url":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/personal-finance\/credit\/how-to-remove-negative-items-from-credit-report\/","video":{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"VideoObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=oXbTFAnETmY#VideoObject","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=oXbTFAnETmY","name":"6 Ways to Remove Negative Items From Your Credit Report","description":"You've been doing everything right when it comes to raising your credit score -- paying your bills on time, not maxing out your credit cards, and not applying for new lines of credit too often -- but there are still some old negative items on your credit report holding you back from where you need to be.\n\nIs all lost?  No!  There are actually some strategies you can implement to help you remove negative items from your credit report.  Logan gets into them in this video.\n\n\u27a1\ufe0f THE CREDIT PEOPLE: https:\/\/thecreditpeople.net\/?a=15966&c=1&s1=yt6waystoremovenegative","thumbnailUrl":["https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/oXbTFAnETmY\/default.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/oXbTFAnETmY\/mqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/oXbTFAnETmY\/hqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/oXbTFAnETmY\/sddefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/oXbTFAnETmY\/maxresdefault.jpg"],"uploadDate":"2019-12-23T19:00:05+00:00","duration":"PT11M55S","embedUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/oXbTFAnETmY","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCQ9WUXlSuLlbi5BLkgtEUEA#Organization","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCQ9WUXlSuLlbi5BLkgtEUEA","name":"Logan Allec","description":"Logan Allec is a CPA and the founder of Choice Tax Relief, which specializes in helping people with their IRS and state tax debt.","logo":{"url":"https:\/\/yt3.ggpht.com\/43_VKqrbO06RGMcxfdQbDXosrkVRq1yf5QgSQEiR4ILUGWV9fJtTh0o2ftYMYqVo6PwnEOPRdg=s800-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj","width":800,"height":800,"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=oXbTFAnETmY#VideoObject_publisher_logo_ImageObject"}},"potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=oXbTFAnETmY#VideoObject_potentialAction","target":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=oXbTFAnETmY&t={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"},"interactionStatistic":[[{"@type":"InteractionCounter","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=oXbTFAnETmY#VideoObject_interactionStatistic_WatchAction","interactionType":{"@type":"WatchAction"},"userInteractionCount":9447}],{"@type":"InteractionCounter","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=oXbTFAnETmY#VideoObject_interactionStatistic_LikeAction","interactionType":{"@type":"LikeAction"},"userInteractionCount":173}]},"about":["Credit"],"wordCount":2682,"keywords":["youtube","podcast","schema"],"articleBody":"You’re working hard to improve your credit. But you have two or three \u2013 or maybe several \u2013 negative entries on your credit report that are making it difficult to make any progress. Is there a way to remove those negative items from your credit report?In a surprising number of cases, the answer is yes!Now, note you won’t be able to remove all types of negative credit entries. Unfortunately, legal situations such as a bankruptcy, foreclosure, or judgment are going to remain on your report.However, other negative items like late payments, collections, and charge-offs may be removable.Let\u2019s make it clear from the start that \u2013 while it\u2019s possible to remove negative items from your credit report \u2013 it\u2019s never guaranteed. Still, it could be worth the effort.Let\u2019s look at the most effective ways to remove negative items from your credit report.\u00a0Table of ContentsToggleDispute Credit ErrorsWrite a Goodwill Letter to the CreditorOffer a Settlement on Charge-offs or CollectionsGet Help From a Credit Repair ServiceFinal ThoughtsDispute Credit Errors\t    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDispute Credit ErrorsSuccess Rate\t\t\t\tBasics: You file a dispute with either the credit bureaus or the creditors. By law, they must remove credit errors from your report.Good For: Those with actual errors on their credit reports.Bad For: Those whose negative credit marks are not errors.\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCostFree.Time Required30-60 minutes per creditor.  You will need to research your creditor's contact information, and either call or write an email or letter.Success RateHigh. If the negative mark is indeed an error, federal law requires its removal from your report.\t\t\t\tCarefully study your credit report, making a list or highlighting any negative items that appear on it. Are there any you see that look like they may be errors?If so, you\u2019re entitled to have those entries removed or corrected under federal credit law.But you won\u2019t be able to have them removed simply by making a phone call. Unfortunately, there\u2019s a definite guilty until proven innocent process that works with credit reporting.The three credit bureaus \u2013 Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax \u2013 will report whatever information is provided to them by the creditors. If there are any errors, it will be up to you as a consumer to formally dispute and prove the inaccuracies.You can file a dispute with either the credit bureaus or the creditors.It\u2019s often easier to go through the individual creditors. They’ll report the corrected information to each of the three credit bureaus. That will prevent you from having to go through each of the three credit bureaus yourself.Whether you go through the individual creditor or the credit bureaus, the dispute should be done in writing and not by phone. (Creditor contact information should be available on your credit report.) Written exchanges are absolutely necessary, so you\u2019ll have a written record of the results. If you try to do it by phone, promises can be made and later denied.Disputing Credit Errors Through Individual CreditorsYou may want to start this process by calling the creditor to get the name and phone number of the correct party to contact about disputing errors. This might make the process faster than if you simply send correspondence to the general email or company address.When you have the email or mailing address, compose a well-written letter explaining why the negative item on your credit report is an error.Your letter should include the account number of the account in question. You should also include a copy of the section of your credit report where the credit error is reported.Never send the entire credit report; otherwise, you\u2019ll be sharing information with the creditor it doesn\u2019t need to have!If you have any documentation supporting your claim, copies should be included with your letter. Most creditors won\u2019t simply take your word for it; documentation will provide proof.Ask the creditor to remove the negative information from its records and also \u2013 very important \u2013 to report the updated information to each of the three credit bureaus.You must also ask for written confirmation of the error from them. Whether it\u2019s a letter or an email, it may be necessary if the creditor fails to report the corrected information to any or all of the three credit bureaus.If the creditor agrees, wait 30 days and then get another copy of your credit report. You\u2019ll want to make sure the entry from the creditor has been updated.If it hasn\u2019t, follow up with the creditor by email and gently remind it to make the correction with the credit bureaus.What if the creditor doesn\u2019t fully cooperate?Disputing Credit Errors Through the Creditor BureausThere are two reasons you\u2019ll want to go this route. Either the creditor has confirmed the negative information reported is an error \u2013 but has failed to report it to the credit bureaus \u2013 or the creditor is simply being uncooperative.If so, you can follow the same process with the three credit bureaus. The contact situation is the same here \u2013 do it either in writing or by email. The letter will be similar to the one written to the individual creditor. You\u2019ll also need to provide supporting documentation.If the creditor has confirmed the information is in error but has not reported it to the credit bureaus, its letter will be sufficient evidence to have the negative item corrected by the credit bureaus.You can contact the credit bureaus at the following websites and phone numbers:Experian: (888) 397-3742TransUnion: (800) 909-8872Equifax: (800) 685-1111You may even be able to get legitimate negative items removed by contacting the credit bureaus. You can open a dispute about any item and request the credit bureaus investigate. Even if the information is reported correctly, if the creditor is unable to verify the stated delinquency, the credit bureaus are required to delete it.You can do this only maybe once or twice each year; otherwise, the credit bureaus will consider your disputes to be frivolous. Also, be aware that this technique works best on older delinquencies where the creditor is less likely to have documentation of the negative event.There are other ways to have legitimate negative credit items removed from your credit report.Write a Goodwill Letter to the Creditor\t    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGoodwill LetterSuccess Rate\t\t\t\tBasics: You write a letter to your creditor politely asking it to contact the credit bureaus to remove your late payment from your credit report.Good For: Those with one-off late payments at creditors with whom they have a long positive history.Bad For: Those with multiple late payments at all of their creditors.\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCostFree, other than the cost of a postage stamp to mail each letter.Time Required30-60 minutes per creditor.  You will need to research your creditor's contact information, write the letter, and mail it.Success RateLow.  You're essentially begging your creditor to voluntarily remove your late payment.\t\t\t\tAs the name implies, a goodwill letter is an attempt to get a creditor to remove a negative item from your credit report as an act of goodwill.You\u2019ll need to write a letter in this case as well; however, it will need to use a completely different tone. You won\u2019t be disputing the validity of the negative item. Instead, you\u2019ll simply be asking the creditor to remove the item from your credit report.This is extremely unlikely to work if you have multiple negative items with the same creditor or similar experiences with other creditors. It will work best in situations with isolated credit issues.For example, let\u2019s say you had a credit card with the same bank for the last 10 years. But your report shows a 60-day delinquency three years ago. If that\u2019s the only negative item in your history, you may be able to convince that lender to remove it.It will help if your letter indicates the delinquency was caused by extenuating circumstances, such as a job loss or a medical issue. Providing documentation supporting that circumstance will help your case.As a different example, let\u2019s say you had a loan account that was charged off three years ago. But shortly after the charge-off, you paid it off in full. You may be able to take a similar approach with that lender, requesting it remove the negative item since it has long been paid.No Guarantees!Understand that the creditor is under no obligation to remove the negative item in either situation. But if your general experience with that creditor has been satisfactory, or an obligation has been long paid, the creditor may agree to it. It\u2019s certainly worth a try.If the lender does agree, ask it to confirm this in writing and to correct the information with the three credit bureaus. If it doesn\u2019t, you may be able to send a letter to the credit bureaus and have it corrected directly.Offer a Settlement on Charge-offs or Collections\t    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOffer a SettlementSuccess Rate\t\t\t\tBasics: You offer to pay the past-due balance in exchange for having it removed from your credit report.Good For: Those who can afford to pay an entire past-due balance.Bad For: Those with large past-due balances.\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCostYour past-due balance (or at least part of it).Time Required60-90 minutes per creditor. You'll need to do some negotiation either on the phone or via letter.Success RateVaries. If you can pay the entire past-due balance, you'll have a greater chance of success.\t\t\t\tThis strategy won\u2019t be effective at removing late payments, but it can work if you have open charge-offs or collections.You\u2019ll be taking advantage of the fact that the creditor would like to be paid the past due balance. The strategy works most effectively on old accounts since those are the least likely to ever pay up.Basically, you\u2019ll be contacting the creditor and offering to pay the past due balance in exchange for having it removed from your credit report.It\u2019s a bold strategy that\u2019s likely to be more effective if you offer to make full payment. The creditor may not be so cooperative if you make only a partial payment.Before going ahead with the payoff, first, get a written confirmation of your agreement from the creditor that it will remove the negative item from all three credit bureaus in exchange for your payment of the past due obligation.Primarily, you\u2019ll need to use this letter to remind the creditor to report to the three credit bureaus, more than anything else. Since the creditor is not required to remove negative information from your credit report, even after it\u2019s been paid, you won\u2019t be able to send a letter to the credit bureaus to have them complete the removal.One other factor you need to be aware of is that past due balances often go through a chain of organizations. What starts out as a charge-off with the original creditor turns into a collection with a collection agency. The first collection agency may even sell the debt to another collection agency.If this is the case, you\u2019ll need to go to the original creditor with your offer. You\u2019ll then also need to get the creditor to agree to withdraw the information from collection agencies.Plan B: Pay Off the Collection or Charge-offIf a settlement offer looks unlikely to work, either because the creditor has refused or because the past due balance has already passed through several collection agencies, it may simply be better to pay off the balance.This doesn\u2019t remove the negative entry from your credit report, but it does convert the obligation from an open account to a paid one. And even if the item stays on your credit report, a paid account is always better for your credit score than an unpaid one.In any event, the collection or charge-off will fall off your credit report seven years after the initial date of the delinquency. If the charge-off or collection is more than five years old, you may simply want to wait it out. But if it\u2019s newer, paying it off will at least give your credit score a bump up.Get Help From a Credit Repair Service\t    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGet Help From a Credit Repair ServiceSuccess Rate\t\t\t\tBasics: You hire a credit report service to remove most of the negative items from your credit report.Good For: Those with more than a few negative items and who don't wish to contact their creditors themselves.Bad For: Those with one or two negative marks.\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCostCredit repair services charge fees up to $100 per month.Time RequiredVery little, since the credit repair company does all the work.Success RateFairly high. You'll have professionals working on your case. However, it's likely not all negative items can be removed.\t\t\t\tThis is the recommended strategy if either of the following applies to your situation:You don\u2019t feel comfortable contacting or negotiating with creditors or credit bureaus, orYou have more than a few negative items on your credit report that you\u2019d like to have removed.The second point is usually the best reason for using a credit repair service.If you have a lot of negative credit, you\u2019ll be dealing with many different creditors. Some are cooperative, some are difficult, and others are downright impossible. A credit repair service will know how to deal with all three types.In addition, a repair service will be able to get the job done in a lot less time than it would take you doing it one creditor at a time.Credit repair services charge fees, and you\u2019ll have to determine if paying the cost will justify the benefit of the improved credit. Also, be aware that there are different degrees of success.Even the best credit repair services won\u2019t be able to remove all negative items from your credit report. Bankruptcy and foreclosure are two examples, but there may also be one or more creditors who simply refuse to cooperate and aren\u2019t legally required to do so.In addition, be aware that there are wide variations in the competency levels of credit repair services. It\u2019s a poorly regulated industry, and there are plenty of providers with less than positive reputations.Go with a service recommended by someone you know who has had good results with that company. Never choose the service because of an ad (no matter how convincing it is) or one you simply pulled off the web.One of the most commonly recommended credit repair agencies is Lexington Law. It\u2019s a law firm that specializes in credit repair. A law firm may cost more, but it has a better chance of success since it can put the power of the law on your side.Another service you can use is The Credit People. This company will provide you with unlimited disputes and work to raise your credit score on your behalf.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t.st5-25310.btn.btn-default:hover{border-color: #4db848;color: #4db848;background: #fff !important;}\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn MoreWe earn a commission on this offer.\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBasics: The Credit People obtains your credit report and aggressively challenges negative items with the credit bureaus.Pros: Starting at $79 per month, The Credit People provides a relatively inexpensive credit repair option with a 60-day moneyback guarantee.Cons: The service is one-size-fits-all with no package options, which some customers may prefer.\tFinal ThoughtsIf you\u2019re going to go about removing negative items from your credit report, set realistic goals.You can certainly have credit errors removed from your report. But if the negative item is legitimate, the outcome will be hit-or-miss. You have no legal right to have legitimate negative marks removed from your credit report.That said, it could be worth a try, because you may get cooperation from some creditors. And just by removing one or two negative items from your report \u2013 or even getting some past due balances paid off \u2013 you will improve your credit score.Clean up what you can and let the passage of time take care of what you can\u2019t."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Personal Finance","item":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/personal-finance\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Credit","item":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/personal-finance\/\/credit\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"How to Remove Negative Items From Your Credit Report","item":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/personal-finance\/credit\/how-to-remove-negative-items-from-credit-report\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]