How long do negative items remain on your credit report?

Posted by Caitlin on July 20th, 2009

On Friday, Consumerist gave a detailed explanation of the time it takes for various negative items to fall off your credit report. Most debts stay on your report for 7 years, but there are several exceptions.

Delinquencies stay on your report for up to 7 years after the first missed payment. If, however, your payment was less than 60 days late, the ding to your credit score should expire within a couple of years. If the original lender sells your debt to a collector, the delinquency will remain on your report for a full 7 years, even if you pay the collector. A chapter 13 bankruptcy drops off after 7 years, but a chapter 7, 11 or 12 stays on your credit report for 10 years. Collection accounts drop off 7 years after the original delinquency date. Closed accounts drop off after 7 years if they have delinquencies, or 10 if there was a positive balance. Child support judgments, small claims and civil judgments drop off 7 years after the judgment is filed. Tax liens drop off after 7 years if they are paid, or 15 if they are unpaid. Hard credit inquiries drop off after 2 years. Paid positive accounts stay for 10 years. Positive open credit information, of course, remains on your credit report indefinitely.

Consumerist also points out that many credit scoring models only consider the past 24 months, and that if you have 24 months of high re-established credit, most lenders will consider you "rehabilitated."

Credit report monitoring is the best way to stay on top of the ups and downs in your credit history. Most of the credit report monitoring services reviewed on NextAdvisor.com also include free reports and, in some cases, free scores. To learn more, see our reviews and comparison chart. You can also check out our credit report FAQs for more information.

• How do I cancel FreeCreditReport.com?
• Do my spouse and I have one credit report?
• How to read, analyze and dispute your Experian credit report
• Reader Questions: Is there a free on line credit report service that has no trial or any other hidden fees?
• Do I need another credit report?