How to Remove Charge-Off Accounts After 7 Years From Your Credit Report

Evidence of financial problems doesn't stay on your credit report forever. Credit bureaus should remove most types of derogatory information, such as charge-offs, from your credit report after seven years. If your credit report still lists outdated charge-offs, you should contact the issuing credit bureau and request a deletion.

Instructions

1

Request your credit report from each credit bureau. You can get one free copy of your credit report from TransUnion, Experian and Equifax every 12 months through Annual Credit Report. If you've already received your free credit reports for the year, you can order fresh copies from the individual credit bureaus for a fee. Under some circumstances, the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, or FCRA, requires the credit bureaus to send you additional free credit reports if you ask for them. If you apply for credit and get turned down because of something on your credit report, the creditor must give you the name of the credit bureau that provided your information. That credit bureau must give you a free copy of your report if you write and ask for one. The same principle holds true for landlords or employers who used your credit report to deny you employment, a promotion or housing. You can also ask for an additional report each year if you are both unemployed and job hunting, or if you receive welfare benefits.

2

Review your credit report, paying special attention to the original delinquency date on your charged-off accounts. If your original delinquency date is more than 7 years old, you should dispute the listing.

3

Dispute the old charge-off information with the credit bureau that provided the report. If the charged-off account is on all three of your reports, then you'll have to dispute the account with all three credit bureaus. If the information doesn't appear on one or two of your reports, you don't need to file a dispute with those credit bureaus. You can dispute the charge online using the credit bureau's website, or your can send the credit bureau a letter that explains that the information on your report is out of date and request a deletion.

4

Wait for a response from the credit bureau. Under the FCRA, credit bureaus have 30 days to investigate your dispute. The credit bureau should send you a letter detailing the results of its investigation, along with a new, accurate credit report. If you don't hear from the credit bureau within six weeks of disputing the outdated information, follow up with a letter or email asking for an update on your dispute.