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How to remove outdated information from credit reports

Old negative information may not be removed automatically. Check your reports to make sure outdated information is not reporting.

Depending on the credit bureaus to automatically remove outdated information from credit reports is a mistake.

Credit bureaus deal with billions of pieces of information daily and sometimes items get left on credit reports that should have been removed.

Removing outdated negative information from credit files is the simplest way to improve your credit history, and possibly credit scores.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) determines how long negative credit can remain on credit files.

How the 7-year reporting statute of limitations is determined

A majority of negative credit accounts must be removed after about 7 years. The 7-year reporting period is determined by the date of first delinquency.

This is the date the original account went delinquent (past due) for the first time with no further payments being made and eventually leading to a charge-off.

The default date can also be expressed as the date the original account became 120 to 180 days past due and the creditor charged-off the account.

How to determine outdated information

Order your free credit reports to review for outdated information. You’ll need a report from each consumer reporting agency, Experian, Transunion and Equifax.

Here is why:

Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax do not always contain the same information. While they are the three major credit reporting agencies and collect similar types of information, there can be differences in their reports including:

  • Reporting differences: Not all creditors and lenders report to all three bureaus. Some may report to only one or two, leading to discrepancies in the information available to each agency.
  • Timing: There can be a delay in reporting information to the bureaus. One bureau might receive updated information sooner than another, resulting in temporary differences.
  • Data entry errors: Mistakes can occur during data entry, leading to inaccurate information on one or more reports.

Reporting time for various accounts

Collection Accounts. Accounts reported by a collection agency are removed from your credit reports 7 years from the date of default on the original account. Even if the account is sold from one collection agency to another, this date does not change.


The FCRA does not allow collection agencies to “re-age” collection accounts when they are purchased from the original creditor in an attempt to keep a negative account on a credit report longer.

If a collection agency tries to re-age an account by manipulating the FCRA compliance date that is illegal. For residents of New York only, paid collections remain for 5 years.

Charge-Offs. Charge-off accounts should be removed from your credit reports 7 years from the date the charge-off occurred.

Judgments. Judgments should not appear on credit reports. This change occurred in 2017. However, lenders can still find judgments through public records, and these judgments can still affect your ability to qualify for credit.

Foreclosures. Foreclosures should be removed from your credit reports after 7 years.

Repossessions. A repossession should be removed from your credit reports 7 years from the date your auto loan went into default (or 7.5 years from the date of first delinquency on your auto loan that lead to the default).

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy. A chapter 7 bankruptcy should be removed from the credit report 10 years after the date discharged.

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy. A chapter 13 bankruptcy should be removed from the credit report 7 years after the date discharged.

Tax Liens. Tax liens are no longer reported on credit reports. This change occurred in 2018. However, while tax liens do not directly impact your credit score, they can still affect your financial situation in other ways. Lenders, landlords, and employers may still check public records for tax liens, which could influence their decision to grant you a loan, rent an apartment, or offer you a job.

How to dispute outdated information

You can dispute directly online with the credit bureaus containing the outdated information. There’s a possibility you can get some information removed several months before it’s due to be removed by disputing online with the three major credit bureaus:

  • Obsolete
  • Outdated or
  • Too old to be on file

If you prefer to dispute by mail and have a paper trail of your actions, send a simple letter like this:

Upon reviewing my credit report (report number), I discovered an obsolete account (creditor name and number). Please delete this account immediately as it is too old to be in my credit file. If for some reason the account is verified, please send me the name of the person who provided the information and the method in which it was investigated.

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