Federal law (US Code Title 15, §1681c) controls the behavior of credit reporting agencies. This law is known as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Under FCRA §605 (a) and (b), an account in collection will appear on a consumer's credit report for 7.5 years. The clock starts approximately 180 days after the date of first delinquency on the account. To learn when an account will be removed by the credit reporting agencies (TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian and others), add 7.5 years to the date of first delinquency. Subsequent activity, such as resolving the debt, is irrelevant to the seven-year rule. However, if the debt is a tax lien, that can appear for seven years from the date of payment. A bankruptcy will appear for ten years from the date of the final order. Delinquent federal student loans can be reported indefinitely, i.e., for as long as they are delinquent.
Under the FCRA, all trade lines can be reported on each of the credit bureaus. However, the reporting agencies must update and keep accurate data in their credit files. If there is erroneous information, you must notify them (typically through a dispute letter sent via certified mail). The credit bureau must investigate your claim within 30 days (unless it is frivolous). If the charge is incorrect or cannot be verified in that time, the credit bureau must delete it or change it as you requested. If they make changes to your report, the credit bureau must send you a new copy. You can also request that a new copy be sent to anyone who has gotten your credit report in the past 12 months. The credit bureau cannot re-insert the item without giving you written notice.
If there are errors, or you would like to contest items on your credit report, you can contact directly the big three agencies.
There are three major credit bureaus that offer credit reports:
| Equifax | Experian | TransUnion |
|---|---|---|
| 800-685-1111 | 888-397-3742 | 800-916-8800 |
| Equifax.com | Experian.com | TransUnion.com |
| File a credit dispute online at Equifax | File a credit dispute online at Experian | File a credit dispute online at TransUnion |
To get a hold of your credit report, contact one of these three bureaus. Each bureau interprets your credit information differently, so you might want to get a report from all three.
If you would like more information or would like to hire the services of a credit repair professional, please visit our credit resource page.
We hope that this helped you to Find, Learn, and Save!
Best,
Bill
www.bills.com/
June 01, 2009
June 01, 2009
October 20, 2007
October 19, 2007
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