Help Me Understand How this Lowered my Score

[cardsrams82]

So I'm at the tail end of some DVs I sent out on some questionable entries that were negatively impacting my credit score. In that group were a collection of student loans I had defaulted on a couple years back and had fully rehabilatated in October of 2012. I was confused as to why the Current status showed Pays As Agrees, but the item was listed as a negative, so I disputed it. I beleive it was listed because it still included the 30/60/90/120/180 from 2 years ago that pushed it into default, but it may have just listed is as an item to be checked for manual review, I'm not sure. But I figured it wouldn't hurt to have the payment history/balance verified. So I get a credit score alert tonight stating my score has changed, and to my surprise my score is 13 points lower! The only thing that my alert shows as changing is the entry for the student loan in question, as follows:

MISSOURI HIGHER EDUC LOAN

Account opened: 8/2006 Description: Consumer disputes - reinvestigation in process Consumer disputes after resolution Account transferred or sold Student loan   Previously reported Newly reported Balance: $0   Past due: $0 $0 Status: Pays account as agreed Pays account as agreed Last activity: 1/1/2010 1/1/2010 Description: Consumer disputes - reinvestigation in process Consumer disputes - reinvestigation in process Consumer disputes after resolution Account transferred or sold Student loan Contact: MISSOURI HIGHER EDUC LOAN, 633 Spirit Dr, Chesterfield, MO, 630051243   •   (314) 469-0600

The account is 'transferred or sold' because it was consolidated after rehabilitation. The status didn't change, the amount owed didn't change, the balance from 0 to blank and descriptions of the loan were added. Can anyone help me shed some light on how this entry reduces my credit score by 13 points? I really don't want to repeat that mistake.

[js0319]

You don't have the age of the account working for you, resulting in a score decrease. When an item is in dispute, it is not factored into your score. Since this account is over 6 years old, it was affecting your AAoA in a positive way. While it is showing a disputed status, it will not be counted, thus lowering your score.

[cardsrams82]

Ohhhhhhh that makes perfect sense. So when the dispute is  closed and I receive the confirmation of the dispute resolution, then they should update the status from being in reinvestigation and I should gain that bump back? Or am I stuck with this on there?

[js0319]

After the investigation, hopefully it's updated to where is doesn't show as disputed. Yes, if that is what happens, your score should bounce back, assuming nothing else changes on your CR.

[cardsrams82]

I really appreciate your quick and informative responses, while I have you looking at this thread I'll go ahead and throw out another question related to this. I've almost got the last remaining collections off of my, after that the only baddies will be the late payments from 2010 on my student loans. All up to 120-180 days late over a 6 month period, at the same time, over multiple loans (I screwed up thinking some were deferred). Since these are also big hitters in my AAoA and my longest tenured TLs, should I just not even touch these anymore, no DVs, no GWs, etc? They are Pays as Agreed status with only the one streak of Lates being a negative. I'm just scared that messing with these too much may backfire on me, any opinions or advice?

[js0319]

You can always request GW's just on the lates. Of course, be mindful of how you word them and try your hardest to help them understand your situation and where you're coming from - but I don't see any harm in GW'ing the lates. Many people on the forums (including me) have had success in removing lates from current tradelines, as well as closed tradelines. 

[cardsrams82]

So would I expressly comment that I'm not wanting the reporting of the TL removed, just a non-reporting of the lates?