So if I pay a medical account that is with a CA, will it cause...

[Anonymous]

...the reporting period(the seven years) to start over? From what I've read, I say no. I have a couple of medical accounts that are with a CA. They are still a couple of years from dropping off the credit report, around June of 2013. They are $134, $233, and $40, respectively, so I can pay them. I just want to be sure if I do that they wont stay on my report longer than June of 2013, i.e., if I paid them today, will they then remain until April 2018? Again, I don't think so.

[MarineVietVet]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

...the reporting period(the seven years) to start over? From what I've read, I say no. I have a couple of medical accounts that are with a CA. They are still a couple of years from dropping off the credit report, around June of 2013. They are $134, $233, and $40, respectively, so I can pay them. I just want to be sure if I do that they wont stay on my report longer than June of 2013, i.e., if I paid them today, will they then remain until April 2018? Again, I don't think so.

---

You are correct that nothing can change the CRTP (Credit Reporting Time Period). A collection can report for up to 7.5 years from the DoFD (Date of First Delinquency) on the OC account that led to the collection.

Just be aware that paying them will not do anything to your score because paid and unpaid collections are looked at the same way but by paying them you don't have to worry about being chased for payment by the CA.

Have you contacted the OC about these debts to see if they will work with you? Sometimes the OC will agree to take payment.

From a BK years ago to:
EX - 3/11 pulled by lender- 835, EQ - 2/11-816, TU - 2/11-782

"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they've made a difference. The Marines don't have that problem".

[Anonymous]

Marinevietvet...first, thank you for your service to our country.

I did contact a couple of the OC's. One said that they could take the payment, but that it would still be reported. Another said I had to pay the CA now, that I had no option of paying them(the OC). I also have a $120 medical listing on my credit report that is still with the OC...it is in their collections department, but still with the OC. They said I could pay them, but that they couldn't delete anything from my credit report. I had thought about doing the HIPAA letter thing, and, like my original question in this thread, I assume if I paid them and tried that tactic that the CRTP would still not change.

[rckstrscott]

Well, the good news is if you paid them today, they will not stay any longer than the law allows, which is 7-7.5 years after DOFD, soooo your 2013 date is not in jeopardy.

How are you contacting these agencys? By phone or letter? Sometimes, the CSR's on the phone say one thing, but they will respond differently via letter. Have you considered PFD? Are these debts you will be able to pay in full or are they too large?

When I started, I was really adamant about trying to get items deleted, but some of my collections are pretty old now, and unless I have ridiculous good look, I don't think I will be able to get all the remaining removed, so I am just resigned to maintaining my current 2+ years of good payment history. I keep plugging away, but unless I have 0 amount of negatives, I am not gonna get a huge boost anyway. I keep sending out letters and methodically tackle these accounts, but I still focus mainly on my current situation.

Plus, if you are unable to get them removed, paying off the debt is good for a couple reasons. One, they cannot sue you for it and second, if you are planning on getting a loan or mortgage, you won't have that outstanding debt anymore.

[Anonymous]

rckstrscott...I have been calling them, and I have only been talking to the CSR's. I thought about PFD's, but until recently I wasn't confident enough to do it. I was worried they'd say no, then re-age the account. I happy to know that isn't going to happen now. The amounts aren't that large, so I can pay them, and the SOL is up on them, so I don't know what they would have to lose by accepting a PFD anyway. They get their money, and I'm talking the full amount...otherwise, I just wait it out a couple of years. If they refused a PFD it would honestly be cutting off their nose to spite their face, because PFD is the only way they're getting the money.

[rckstrscott]

completely agreed!

I had a PFD success on a simlar account as to what you are describing.. If they cannot legally come after you, it is pretty silly to not accept those terms since you are offering them money they cannot legally come after you for.. although you still do owe the money if its a valid debt.

But you would be surpised at how silly CA's can be...

-scott