Negative items can linger on your credit report for up to seven years, but that doesn’t mean you have to wait that long to see improvements. Here's how it works:
- Late Payments: Usually stay on your report for seven years from the date of the first missed payment.
- Collections: These remain for seven years from when the account first became delinquent.
- Bankruptcies: Chapter 7 bankruptcies can last up to 10 years, while Chapter 13 bankruptcies typically stay for seven years.
- Inquiries: Hard inquiries stick around for two years but generally only affect your score for the first year.
While the impact of these items lessens over time, you don’t have to sit and wait for your credit to improve on its own. With Smart Dispute, you can take proactive steps to challenge and remove these negative items sooner, accelerating your journey to better credit.