Bankruptcy

[fuzzybean]

Our BK was discharged in December of 2007.  I just pulled my credit report (all 3) again and noticed that Experian and TU show $0 liability and are on one line, but Equifax doesn't show anything and is on the next line.  Equifax is my lowest score for FICO and FAKO.  Is the fact it's not showing $0 liability hurting my score?

[llecs]

FICO ignores that. The only things that can impact your FICO with regards to the TL itself is the age of the BK and the mere presence of th BK.

[fuzzybean]

Thank you. 

Does everyone ignore it, such as potential creditors?

I wonder why my Equifax is significantly lower?  On 1/4/13 my FICO scores were:  TU:  718 and Equifax:  678.  Weird.

[llecs]

I don't know how creditors would see it. I'm guessing they would focus on the BK itself.

40 isn't too bad. My EQ is consistently 20-30 higher than TU. But there's definitely something on EQ that is draining your score. I'd focus on the obvious to start by comparing length of history, AAoA, util, accounts on one but not the other, baddies on one but not the other, etc.  Any of these can throw the scores off by lots. Then you can micro-manage and look at the number of TLs reporting a balance, reported dates on baddies, TL comments, inquiries, new credit as both your EQ and TU FICO treat it differently, etc.

[fuzzybean]

I no longer have any baddies at all on my CR from any of the CRAs..well, except for the bankruptcy.  They all show the exact same amount of utilization, too.  I will compare the other stuff, though.  I hadn't thought of that.

[StartingOver10]

they are supposed to show zero balance and iib. If the balance is a blank spot rather than zero it will affect your score. So make sure each TL shows zero balance. You might have to get the report from annual credit report (dot) com to see how it is being reported. It only takes one blank spot to drop the score.

[fuzzybean]

The reports were from annualcreditreport.com and it shows blank for for Equifax.  I will give them a call tomorrow and try to figure it out.

Thank you.

Oops, had to fix my post.  I wrote black instead of blank.

[ihatemyscore]

What if the TL reports N/A balance?

[StartingOver10]

It has to report a zero balance, an actual zero.

I know that a blank spot messes with the score because I have had that experience and discovered it on another board about the difference between an actual zero reporting and a blank.

I assume that the N/A would cause the same issues as a blank, but I don't know that for sure. It seems like it would have to have a number (zero) in order to be included correctly.

[hrguy]

Weird but helpful observation - i never paid this any mind but now I will look into this on EQ.  I assumed as long as it said IIB and had nothing in the balance line it was presumed to be 0 by Fico.  

I was just pondering why my EQ is lowest of all my Fico's.