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debt-settlement

Is Settling My Debt the Key to Better Credit?

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Is Settling My Debt the Key to Better Credit?

Let's face it, no one plans on having bad credit. Aside from a few bad apples, the vast majority of consumers never set out with the intention of acquiring debt and failing to pay it off according to terms. Instead, most consumers who develop bad credit do so as a result of some unfortunate circumstance such as a job loss, an illness, divorce, etc. Even those consumers who find themselves swimming in collection accounts as a result of poor financial planning typically do not realize that they have overextended themselves financially until they have already bitten off more than they can chew.

One of my favorite sayings is the HOPE4USA slogan, "Bad credit happens to good people all the time." The reason why this statement means so much to me is because it is 100% true. Whether a person is facing credit problems due to bad luck or bad decisions, that does not mean that he or she is a bad person. Everyone deserves a second chance.

Cleaning Up Past Mistakes

Unfortunately, when most consumers set out to begin cleaning up their past credit mistakes they do it wrong. I cannot count how many consumers have expressed their frustration to me over the years after they paid off a pile of old collection accounts and their credit scores remained low - often even lower than they were initially. The fact that most consumers fail to understand is that paying off or settling collection accounts generally will not do anything to improve credit scores.

Why Paying Collections Doesn't Raise Credit Scores

The FICO credit scoring models currently in use by lenders do not reward consumers for paying off collection accounts. Current versions of FICO are much more concerned with the fact that a collection occurred in the first place than they are with the balance of the account. In fact, a collection account will have virtually the same negative impact upon a consumer's credit scores whether the balance is $2,000 or $0. (Defaulted credit card accounts are typically the exception to this rule.)

The purpose of a FICO credit score, also known as the design objective, is to predict the likelihood that a consumer will become 90 days past due on any of his/her credit obligations within the next 2 years. Current FICO credit scoring models are built with the assumption that a consumer who had collection accounts in the past is still likely to be 90 days late on an account in the future. Therefore, the presence of a collection account - regardless of the balance - is going to have a negative credit score impact.

Change on the Horizon?

FICO 9, the most recent credit scoring model released by FICO was designed to treat $0 balance collection accounts very differently than they have been treated in the past. The new scoring model was built with scoring logic to completely ignore collections with $0 balances. The result? Consumers who settle or pay their collection accounts could potentially see a massive score increase under the new scoring model.

Before you get too excited it is important to realize that it will likely be many years before FICO 9 is widely adopted by lenders - if it is even adopted at all. Check out my previous article, "Why You Shouldn't Be Too Excited About the New FICO 9 Scoring System...Yet" for more details. If lenders are not using the new scoring model then it is impossible for consumers to see any benefit from the new scoring logic.

What Should I Do?

If you believe that the fact that settling your collection accounts will not likely help your credit scores is a good reason to ignore the accounts, you may want to think again. Unpaid collection accounts have the potential to come with a lot of nasty consequences. Lawsuits, judgments, and wage garnishments are a few of the unpleasant side effects that often accompany unpaid debts. Settling past due accounts can be a very smart move, though it may be advisable to consult with a reputable professional for help and guidance before you get started

Where to Begin

It is important not to become overwhelmed when you make the decision to begin trying to fix past credit issues. The best place to start is to get a copy of all 3 of your credit reports (and possibly your scores as well). You can access a free credit report from each of the 3 major credit bureaus every year at www.annualcreditreport.com. Credit scores are not free, but you can often access them as part of a free or inexpensive trial to a credit monitoring service. CLICK HERE to compare trial offers which offer 3-credit scores.

Once you have your reports, review them thoroughly for mistakes. Credit mistakes happen more commonly than many consumers realize. In fact, the FTC estimates that over 40 million consumers may have errors on their credit reports.

When reviewing accounts for errors remember that all aspects of the account (i.e. balance, date opened, date of last activity, etc.) should be correct. If errors are discovered you have the right according to the Fair Credit Reporting Act to dispute those errors. You can dispute credit errors on your own or with the help of a professional. CLICK HERE for a great, free Credit Repair Toolkit to help you get started or you can schedule a no-obligation credit analysis with a HOPE4USA Credit Expert.

michelle-black-credit-expert

Michelle Black is an author and a credit expert with over a decade of experience, the credit blogger at HOPE4USA.com, a recognized credit expert on talk shows and podcasts nationwide, a contributor to the Wealth Section of Fort Mill Magazine, and  a regularly featured speaker at seminars up and down the East Coast. She is an expert on improving credit scores, credit reporting, correcting credit errors, budgeting, and recovering from identity theft. You can connect with Michelle on the HOPE Facebook page by clicking here. 

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Can Collection Accounts Really be Removed from My Credit Reports?

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Can Collection Accounts Really be Removed from My Credit Reports?

In my previous article, Will Paying Collections Help My Credit Scores?, I discussed the common misconception that paying a collection account will raise your credit scores. It is true that paying a collection account probably will not raise your credit scores and, in some cases, may even lower your scores if recent activity is reported on the account due to your payment. However, there is another credit myth which I would like to debunk today and that is the misconception that a collection account cannot be legally removed from your credit report. The statement that a collection account cannot legally be removed from your credit report is simply untrue. When a collection account is deleted from your credit report the result is almost always a credit score increase - great news for the consumer! There are several possible ways that collection accounts can be deleted from your credit report. Let's discuss a few of them:

Removal by Dispute - 

Have you checked your credit report lately? Chances are that, if you did so, you found errors and inaccuracies. In fact, a recent study released by the Federal Trade Commission found that 40 million Americans had errors on their credit reports. 

According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) you have the right to dispute any errors, mistakes, or inaccuracies with the credit reporting agencies - Equifax, Trans Union, and Experian. If any of the data is incorrect on an account (i.e. the balance, the date of first delinquency, the date of last activity, the date opened, the date of default, the date reported, account notations, etc.) then you have the right to dispute it. Furthermore, you are even allowed to dispute erroneous accounts with creditors and collection agencies directly.

Pay for Deletion -

It is possible for you to make an arrangement with a creditor or collection agency to pay an account in exchange for the deletion of the account from your credit report. You should know that it is extremely difficult to get a creditor or collection agency to agree to these terms. Some companies will reject a pay for deletion offer out right. However, payment for deletion is possible and it is 100% legal.

There is nothing in the Fair Credit Reporting Act which compels a creditor or collection agency to report an account to the credit bureaus. The reporting of accounts is 100% voluntary. Even though it is not illegal for an account to be paid for deletion, the act is frowned upon by the credit bureaus and most of the agreements that the bureaus have with collection agencies states that the collection agencies cannot engage in pay for deletion settlements.

Finally, if you do get a creditor or collection agency to agree to a pay for deletion arrangement you will likely be required to pay 100% of the debt. As with any debt negotiation, it is always important to get agreements sent to you in writing since "he said, she said" will not hold up if a dispute arises later.

Goodwill Deletion - 

You can request for a creditor or collection agency to grant you a goodwill deletion after an account has been paid. It is a long shot to have a goodwill deletion request honored; however, it certainly cannot hurt you to ask.

These are a few of the ways that a collection account can be removed from your credit reports. You have the right to try to employ some of these strategies on your own, though doing so will likely be time consuming and very difficult. You also have the right to hire a reputable credit restoration company to assist you. If you would like to speak with a HOPE Credit Expert regarding your credit report please give us a call at 704-499-9696 or click here to schedule a no-obligation credit analysis today.

michelle-black-credit-expert

Michelle Black is an author and a credit expert with over a decade of experience, the credit blogger at HOPE4USA.com, a recognized credit expert on talk shows and podcasts nationwide, a contributor to the Wealth Section of Fort Mill Magazine, and  a regularly featured speaker at seminars up and down the East Coast. She is an expert on improving credit scores, credit reporting, correcting credit errors, budgeting, and recovering from identity theft. You can connect with Michelle on the HOPE Facebook page by clicking here. 

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