Credit questions, answered honestly.
Does paying a collection raise your credit score?
Paying a collection does not remove it from your credit report, and under the FICO models most lenders still use, a paid collection can hurt your score almost…
Read the answer →How long do late payments stay on your credit report?
A late payment stays on your credit report for seven years from the date the payment was missed. The account itself can stay longer if it's still open…
Read the answer →What is a pay-for-delete letter, and does it work?
A pay-for-delete is a written offer to pay a collection in exchange for the collector deleting the tradeline from your credit reports. It's legal. Collectors are not required…
Read the answer →What is a goodwill letter, and when does it work?
A goodwill letter asks a creditor to remove an accurate late payment from your credit report as a courtesy, usually because you have an otherwise good history with…
Read the answer →Can you remove hard inquiries from your credit report?
You can only remove hard inquiries you did not authorize. Inquiries from applications you actually made are accurate and stay for two years, though they affect your FICO…
Read the answer →Credit repair vs. credit counseling: which do you need?
Credit repair addresses inaccurate, unverifiable, or outdated information on your credit reports. Credit counseling addresses debt you owe and can't manage, usually through a budget and a debt…
Read the answer →Credit repair laws in Tennessee: what protects you
Credit repair companies serving Tennessee consumers are governed by two laws: the federal Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA) and the Tennessee Credit Services Businesses Act. Together they require…
Read the answer →How long does credit repair take?
Most credit repair engagements take three to six months. Each dispute round takes 30 to 45 days because that's how long the bureaus have to investigate, and most…
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