How to Remove Aged Late Payments?

[Paula0925]

We have just finished paying off all our revolving credit and my score went up 50 points!  But there are two accounts that show a 30-day late.  One is from May of 2003 and the other from April of 2004.  Both accounts are at zero balance.  How can I get those two lates removed?  Or is it even possible?

[Anonymous]

I think you have to wait 7 years.  There is no incentive for the OC to give you a break, but you could try a goodwill letter.

[Jazzzy]

You could try goodwill letters...but sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for.

Your lates are aged enough that they are likely not hurting your score much. If you ask for goodwill removal, that may happen. However, I've seen some folks have one or two lates turn into 10 lates...after the creditor went back and looked at the account (some creditors don't like to be asked to remove lates). I've seen some accounts listed as "in dispute" by the creditor, which can then make it difficult to process a mortgage. Some mortgage lenders want disputes off your credit reports. Some creditors may take the account off altogether, which means you then lose the good history that will develop once the lates drop off.

I still have a couple of lates on my accounts...with the newest being in 2005. I have decided to leave well enough alone. There are some rocks I want to leave unturned. My husband did, however, have a string of lates from making a payment 30 days late....which eventually turned into eleven 30-day late payments until he got caught up. When we started working on our credit, 8 of those lates remained on his reports. He was successful in getting those removed. Because of the sheer number, that gave his scores a boost.

Sometimes you have to pick your battles. If you go to the Rebuilding Your Credit forum, you may want to post who those creditors were, and you will get advice on how or if those creditors remove lates. Good luck on whatever you decide.

[Anonymous]

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@LynetteM wrote:

You could try goodwill letters...but sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for.

Your lates are aged enough that they are likely not hurting your score much. If you ask for goodwill removal, that may happen. However, I've seen some folks have one or two lates turn into 10 lates...after the creditor went back and looked at the account (some creditors don't like to be asked to remove lates). I've seen some accounts listed as "in dispute" by the creditor, which can then make it difficult to process a mortgage. Some mortgage lenders want disputes off your credit reports. Some creditors may take the account off altogether, which means you then lose the good history that will develop once the lates drop off.

I still have a couple of lates on my accounts...with the newest being in 2005. I have decided to leave well enough alone. There are some rocks I want to leave unturned. My husband did, however, have a string of lates from making a payment 30 days late....which eventually turned into eleven 30-day late payments until he got caught up. When we started working on our credit, 8 of those lates remained on his reports. He was successful in getting those removed. Because of the sheer number, that gave his scores a boost.

Sometimes you have to pick your battles. If you go to the Rebuilding Your Credit forum, you may want to post who those creditors were, and you will get advice on how or if those creditors remove lates. Good luck on whatever you decide.

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True that! I disputed 1 30 day late with Americredit on EX and they deleted the entire TL. I would have been better letting the 30 day age and keeping the good history and account age after it dropped. Live and learn.

CB