Q:
Hello Mike,
I have some questions about collections. I have not pulled my free credit report yet, but I know that I have collections on there. I have had some financial problems in the past due to medical issues. I have read that you should not pay off your collections; it will drop your credit score. The collections I have are about 2 years old. Do you recommend I pay them off, or leave them be? I plan on buying a home within the next year or so.
Leslie Lerner
Denver, Colorado
A:
Hi Leslie,
This is a great question. Collections can be tricky; usually credit repair companies will tell you not to pay off collections. The reason for this is they are obviously in sales, would be my opinion. I have helped people get there credit scores up for years so I could finance them, by having them pay off the most recent collections. When you pay off collections on a credit report it could go two ways. Your credit scores could temporally drop, but most of the time your credit scores will increase. For long term credit repair I recommend always to pay off collections. It is important to ask the collection agency to give you a letter to delete from all 3 credit bureaus. This will remove the collection from your credit record as if it were never there. Some collection agencies will only give you a letter showing paid or settled. It does not hurt to ask though, because sometimes they will give you a letter to delete the history from the credit bureaus.
Mike Clover
CreditScoreQuick.com
About the Author: Mike Clover is the owner of http://www.creditscorequick.com/. CreditScoreQuick.com is the one of the most unique on-line resources for free credit score report, fico score, free credit check, identity theft protection, secured credit cards, student credit cards , credit cards, mortgage loans, auto loans, insurance, debt consolidation ,and a BlOG with a wealth of personal credit information. The information within this website is written by professionals that know about credit, and what determines ones credit worthiness
Hello,
I have a few things on my credit. Mostly medical bills. The most recent is two years old. My husband is filing ch. 7 and I am wondering if it is best that I pay off these debts and how long until I could begin to build my credit?(Im young and had debts on my credit before I could ever build it)Or if I should let them hang out for the seven year period and try to work on it then or should I file with my husband? I ask because I am a stay at home mom with no income yet and I dont know the quickest way to get my credit score up to benefit us in the future when my husband has bankruptcy on his credit.Thanks