5 Reasons You Need To Remove a Charge off From Your Credit Report
Are you wondering if you should remove your charge off from your annual credit report?
A charge off happens when you fail to pay your credit for an extended period. Falling late on your payments for 120 to 180 days can lead to a delinquent account, prompting the creditor to charge it off.
Interestingly, about 55% of Americans have credit card debt or bad credit scores. It means they are at risk of having a charge off. What does it mean to have a charge off on your credit report?
Fortunately, our guide can help. Read on and learn five reasons to remove a charge off immediately.
1. It Stays for Up to 7 Years
Failing to remove a charge off has far-reaching effects. After your account becomes delinquent, making purchases using your credit card becomes impossible. The creditor will also report your account to credit bureaus.
Even if you pay the charge off, it remains visible on your credit report for seven years. It starts from the day the creditors tagged your account as delinquent. When lenders check your credit reporting, they will see your charge off record.
2. Collectors Will Nag You
Even if you can no longer buy using your credit card, the charge off will stay until you pay it off. The creditor will also pass your account to a collection agency. This agency will assign a debt collector who will nag you to pay.
The collectors can be annoying in various ways. They will call daily or send written requests. If you continue to evade, the agency may sue you in civil court.
3. You Get Lower Loan Amounts in the Future
A charge off directly affects your credit scoring. Lenders will view the charge off as a red flag, preventing them from approving a higher loan application in the future. If they approve your loan, expect it to be smaller than expected.
4. You Have a Hard Time Securing Loans
In some cases, you may have a hard time securing a loan. Regardless of the amount, lenders may turn down your application without deliberation.
5. It Affects Your Morale
Lastly, a charge off can affect your morale. Settling your charge off allows you to regain your financial flexibility. It lets you regain your confidence in managing your money.
Tips for Removing a Charge Off
Credit reporting can sometimes involve errors. If you believe there was a mistake, dispute it with the credit bureau immediately.
If there are no errors, you can negotiate with the creditor to remove the charge off from your credit file. The law does not oblige the creditor to grant your request. If they agree, you may have the pay the entire charge off.
Be sure to learn more about how to remove a credit report charge-off.
Improve Your Finances Today
Removing the charge off from your credit report enables you to improve your image in the eyes of lenders. You will enjoy more financial flexibility and avoid falling into debt.
Discover more financial tips by reading our other blog posts.
