FICO score dropped 40 points

[babygirl]

My score dropped from 662 to 622 after I opened 3 new accounts between October - Decemeber 2006 and one of them I missed the 1st payment just as an oversight due to illness this January.  Since then I have paid off 40% off a $500 balance on that account.  Can I ask the creditor to remove the late charge from my credit report ? The rest I have been paying on time and much more then the minimum.   Also, I have been eradacting the balances of old unpaid accounts.  Which I have one left which will be paid off by the end of April.  I have been working very hard to increase my scores since 10/2005 and went from 584 to 662 and now this. 

[Anonymous]

You can ask them whatever you want really, that doesn't mean they'll do it. However, you really don't have anything to loose by asking.

[Anonymous]

Generally, the answer will be no, but it's also worth asking again when you've made on-time payments for two years.

[babygirl]

I asked and they removed the late charge.   I explained I did not received my first bill in January, it may have got lost in the mail due to the holiday season.  Well, without that information I was unable to pay timely or setup my automatic payments with my bank etc.  They said since I have paid all the subsequent bill and sent other payments before the next bill cycle they did not have a problem removing the late charge.   Thanks!