The issue is whether a debt has been satisfied with the creditor.
Whatever amount the creditor accepts as satisfaction of the debt results in the account having a paid status.
However, if paid for less than the full amount, the creditor has the option of separately reporting that fact to the CRAs by way of an additional "Special Comment," stating that the debt was satisfied for less than its full amount.
That special comment is a negative statement in a consumer's CR, as it informs others that, in the past, the consumer failed to fully pay all debt they incurred.
If you settle and the creditor does not report that additional special comment, your CR will appear to others viewing it the same as if you had paid in full.
Thus, if a creditor is unwilling to accept a PFD deletion, the next best thing is to obtain their agreement not to report a settled for less special comment.
That apparently is your situation.
