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usmgirl25

Date: Tue, 07/13/2010 - 11:01

Submitted by usmgirl25
on Tue, 07/13/2010 - 11:01

Posts: 77 Credits: [Donate]

Total Replies: 3


If you pay off an account on your credit report that is in collection. Does it help your credit score at all?


Quote:

If you pay off an account on your credit report that is in collection. Does it help your credit score at all?
Paying off collection accounts does not increase your credit score much. Moreover if it's an old account, making payments on it can rather hurt your score. However, it is still better to have a paid account rather than an unpaid one on your credit report.

You can request the collection agency to agree to a "Pay for delete" (PFD) agreement. With the PFD, the negatives against the account will be removed from your credit report. You will get sample PFD letter at http://www.debtconsolidationcare.com/letters/pay-for-delete.html . Get both the payment agreement, and PFD agreement in writing as proof.


lrhall41

Submitted by SC on Wed, 07/14/2010 - 00:41

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If the account that you're paying is an old one, the chances are that the trade-line balance for that account will show 'zero' as it's typical for old charged-off accounts which have gone to collections. Then, paying off the account will not have any impact on your credit score.

Moreover, there's a chance that it might actually hamper your credit score. The reason being when you pay off an old account, the date of the payment is shown against the account which would be more recent than the account and may stay in the credit report for a longer time.

Lastly, you can negotiate with the collection agency to report the account as 'paid in full' or go for 'pay for delete'. If you convince the agency to sign a PFD or Pay for delete agreement, the account will be completely erased from your credit report which will help you to improve your credit score faster.


lrhall41

Submitted by on Fri, 07/16/2010 - 04:10

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