There has got to be a creative way to get old debt removed

See, even if you have paid off a certain account, then also it will appear on your credit report. It will appear as "Paid in full" or "Paid as settled", or something of this sort. If they have not updated your account status on your credit report, then you can send a letter to the credit bureau and request them to do so. However, you have to send the copies of the documents to them. But, this does not mean that the item will be removed. It is likely to stay on your credit report for few years.

Another thing, have the collection agency made the promise to remove the item in writing? If yes, then you can send the copy of the written agreement to them and request them to remove the item.

Unless they promised to remove it in writing, you might be out of luck if they are reporting correctly.

They are *sort of* being reported correctly. I didn't know at the time to get a letter in writing for them to remove it. My credit score was a 703 overall. I disputed the 4 negatives on my account and my experian and transunion DROPPED from a 703 (both were the same) to a 682! Then my equifax went up to a 713. ALL from the exact same disputes that ALL came back the exact same way. HOW do the credit bureaus justify this? Nothing changed other than an update. Its completely corrupt - how can anyone fight this?

ALSO - when they were updated: 1 was removed. Now I only have 3 past negatives (no current negatives) on my report. No public records, no collections nothing else - and 10 accounts in good standing with 100% available credit of over $30,000 with long time standing accounts 10+ years.

I have a *funny feeling* that my credit score WILL go up - BUT it will go up after and ONLY after interest rates rise past 7%.