Which item will help more?

[Anonymous]

Still in the process of improving score, partially by paying items partally by getting deletions on ones that aren't verifiable.

I am up to mid-600s on all three CRAs, attempting to get to 700s.

I have two items left on Transunion, wondering which would help more;

1 is an old Cap1 which will come off in July or so anyway, but is showing Charge-Off and is adding $1,200 or so to my outstanding debt. FICO Estimator shows a pretty big bump in paying that off, but I don't think there formula sees it as an old charge-off, just current debt (that is pretty much the bulk of actual debt so the bump is big).

2 is a recent paid Collection from a recent (3-4 years) medical bill. Paid in full but of course that makes it a recent collections.

Any idea which I would do better to concentrate on (not counting the fact that in June it is moot, I am trying to boost by late Feb or so)

Thanks!

[fused]

What was the CL on the Cap1 card?

[Anonymous]

It doesn't list a CL (remember this is Cap1), it lists high-balance of $1,283

[fused]

Forgot! I should have asked this earlier but do you have other CCs? If so, what is your util on each card?

[Anonymous]

I have two, about $5k each, util is zero on one, $10 on the other.

[fused]

Removing the balance on the charge-off from this equation, the collection itself is probably hurting you more because it's more recent. Collections being reported by a CA do not factor in util% calculations while charge-offs might (usually do). That said, I have to think if you pay the CO and it reports a $0 balance this would improve your scores more than the med collection being deleted. I think this way because the util is at 94% on this CO and in FICO scoring 95% is considered maxed-out. When looking at serious derogatories, FICO scoring places it's biggest emphasis on "recency", not dollar amounts. If you did not have a util problem with this CO, then I would think the med collection should be your focus.