What should I pay first?

[Anonymous]

I have both credit card debt and collections for medical bills. I am making payment on the credit card bill but I am pass due. I know that what ever I do my credit score will still be extremely low till I pay everything off but what is hurting my score more, the collections or the pass due amounts?

[Anonymous]

Paying your credit cards off first is going to improve your chances of increasing your score. When you pay off collections your score doesn't increase at all. Decreasing your Utilization will give you that bump you need. So if I was you I would pay off the credit card first and then write a GW letter to them in hopes that they will remove the late payments.

[Anonymous]

Anything that isn't already in collections or late, you should try your dangedest to keep it from going into collections or going late.

Once it's in collections, there's no need to rush to escalate payments.

Obviously, the big picture can be much larger. Keeping the lights on, keeping the rent or mortgage paid, keeping up the car note on the car you NEED to get to and from work, etc.

More details are always helpful. Just don't post your real name, real address, SSN or real account numbers.

[AndySoCal]

The current lates on the credit cards are hurting your score more now that the collection account(s). I presume the collection accounts are older than the credit card lates. Also you can try to work with the original creditor(s) on the medical billI(s) to see if they will remove the collection account from your credit report in exchange for payment. Good luck !

[haulingthescoreup]

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NJersey wrote:

I have both credit card debt and collections for medical bills. I am making payment on the credit card bill but I am pass due. I know that what ever I do my credit score will still be extremely low till I pay everything off but what is hurting my score more, the collections or the pass due amounts?

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I hope you're still coming back and reading this thread: You need to visit the Medical Collections board and learn how to have these removed from your reports.

There's a way to do it, but it needs to be followed precisely. Hope that helps!

[Anonymous]

Dittos.

Pay CC's first and keep open or non-collection accounts from going to collections or from being further late.  Pay them current.

The CA's you need to read up on how to HIPPA, DV, PFD, etc.  A paid vs. unpaid collection does nothing different FICO wise.  You need to deal with them, but you need to plan it out carefully based upon the type, age, amount, etc.