Open Collection?

[KellyP25721]

I could use some advice.  I have an open collection for a medical bill that went to collection in 2011.  My quesiton is, would paying it off at this point lower my credit score?  There seems to be a lot of conflicting advice out there on this matter?  Some say it will lower your score becuase it makes it look more recent and others are saying it doesn't impact your score.

[guiness56]

Paid or unpaid, a collection is scored the same by FICO.

If a collection has not updated for a while, then, yes, paying it could lower your score due to the date reported updating.

On the other hand, if the collection updates with the CRAs monthly, paying it should have no impact on your score.

Have you tried asking for a pay for delete?

[KellyP25721]

It hasn't updated since 2011.  I asked for a PFD but no-go.

[guiness56]

If it hasn't updated in that long then your score would drop.

Have you tired contacting the OC to see if you pay them would they recall the debt from the CA?

[KellyP25721]

No, I have not tried that.  I will do that on Monday!  Definitely worth a phone call!

[KellyP25721]

No go on the OC route.  They said it was too old.