How Long Negative Items Stay On Your Credit Report

Your credit report is filled with different types of information from your employment history to your credit card and mortgage activity. You credit report also contains negative information like collection accounts, bankruptcies and tax liens.

If you have negative items on your credit report it is important to know how long they will negatively impact your credit score. According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), most negative items can be deleted from your credit bureau file within seven years. The exception is a chapter 7 bankruptcy that can be reported for up to ten years. Remember, these are the time limits for reporting negative credit, but the creditor or the credit bureau can have the negative credit information deleted whenever they please if they choose to do so. Positive information may remain on your credit report indefinitely, unless the account is closed or inactive.

Here's a list of how long negative items stay on your credit report:

Delinquent Payments: If you make a payment more than 30 days after the due date, it will appear as a late payment in your credit report.

Bankruptcy Chapter 13: 7 years from the filing date

Bankruptcy Chapter 7, 11, or 12: 10 years from the filing date

Charge-off: 7 years from the date of original delinquency

Collection: 7 years from date of original delinquency

Credit Inquiries: 2 years

Foreclosure: 7 years from filing date

Judgment: 7 years from date it was reported

Paid Tax Lien: 7 years from date paid

Paid and Closed Revolving/Installment Accounts: 10 years

Unpaid Tax Lien: 15 years

It is critical to monitor your credit report thoroughly for outdated information that may impacting your credit score. Remember, that with the exception of Chapter 7 bankruptcy negative account information may no longer be reported by your creditor after seven years from the date of first delinquency. If the creditor reports that the seven-year cycling off period has been reached, the credit bureau may no longer report that account. If it is still being reported, you can follow the steps outlined in the Complete System to Repair Your Credit and Boost Your Credit Score to have that item removed from your credit file. Download the System Today!