The question “How long does it take to repair credit” usually arises when a person wants to apply for a loan. The thing is that lenders check the score and payment history of the potential borrower before issuing funds. The higher your rating is, the bigger your chances to get money.
It is difficult to answer for sure how long credit repair takes. The same difficulty is to answer the question: “should I consolidate my credit card debt“. There are a lot of factors that influence the duration of this process. All you should know is that it won’t happen in a day or a week. You cannot also pay to improve your reputation.
If you see such offers, it is 100% that you deal with scammers. To help you understand how long it takes to repair credit we have written this article. Thanks to it you will get to know what influences your financial situation, ways to improve it, and how much time is needed. So, here we go!
What the duration of credit score rebuilding depends on
As we have already mentioned, there are many factors that determine credit repair length. Some of them can be easily solved within several months while others require years of hard work. Each case is unique and demands a special approach. Among the most essential factors you should pay attention to while thinking about how long it takes to repair credit are:
- the state of your score before you start the repair;
- the type of negative records in your payment history;
- the length of your history;
- the age of negative records.
Let’s consider these aspects in detail to help you predict how much time you will need to spend on score repair. You should know that you won’t be able to hide information about your financial failures. Everything is recorded and analyzed.
The type of negative information on your credit report
Your score depends on the type of information recorded in your payment history. Among the most common notices that can lower your rating are the following:
1. Taking too many cards within a short period
Every time a borrower applies for a loan his or her score decreases by several points. This effect doesn’t last long but if you take new cards regularly, it can harm your reputation.
2. Missed payments
It is the most common mistake borrowers make. Some people just forget to pay back their debt on a regular basis. Others simply underestimate the importance of following paydays. If it is one occasional delay in repayment, you can improve the situation within 3 months. If it is a common thing for you, you need to change your habits.
3. Bankruptcy
It is one of the most devastating events for a credit score. If you don’t know how long it takes to repair credit after bankruptcy, get prepared. It depends on the insolvency type and varies from 7 to 10 years.Note: we have mentioned only the most popular issues that borrowers face. In fact, there are different variations of derogatory marks that can make your life more difficult.
How many negative or derogatory marks are on your credit report
How long does it take to repair credit? The answer depends not only on the type of negative marks you have but also on their quantity. If you violate the lender’s requirements that are not very serious for the first time, it won’t decrease your score for a long time.
But if you have a collection of different derogatory marks get ready for a long credit repair path. Make sure there are no errors in your payment history. Unfortunately, such occasions may happen because of a system failure or a human mistake.
The earlier you detect a mistake, the easier it will be to delete it. The age of negative information No matter how poor your score is. All negative notices fade from your payment history with the flow of time.
It means that if a borrower fulfills all financial obligations the credit score improves. What’s more, most of the derogatory marks are deleted after 7 years. You should know that it doesn’t mean that your unpaid debts disappear after this point.
A borrower will still owe money and a lender will continue to find ways to repay a debt. Your loan provider can call you, send letters, and even garnish the debtor’s wage (provided the court has given permission). All in all, your main objective is not to wait till derogatory marks will be deleted but to improve your credit score thanks to positive financial habits.
Where your credit rating was before your score dropped
All financial situations are different and unique. That is why it is difficult to answer the question “How long does it take to repair credit?”. The first thing you should do before credit repair is to understand your current position.
Ask for a credit report from any provider of financial services by visiting the nearest office or simply online. Look at your credit score and write it down somewhere. The higher your rating, the faster you will be eligible for a loan again.
It is a good idea to check your score once every 3-6 months just to see whether you have chosen the right strategy. If it doesn’t change or even decrease, you should review your approach.
How long does negative information stay on your credit report?
It takes much effort to rebuild credit. As you know, there are a lot of aspects that can spoil your plans for getting a loan. Unfortunately, most of the notices can live in your credit history for 7 years. We will consider some of the factors that can spoil your reputation as a borrower in detail.
Try to analyze your case while reading it. Perhaps, you will be able to find a problem yourself. If not, you can always apply for the professional help from credit repair companies.Anyway, even small steps will bring you closer to a reputation of a reliable borrower. It is important not only for receiving a loan but also acquiring more favorable conditions.
Each late payment
The best way to keep your score high is not to miss the due dates. It is a day when a lender charges a monthly payment from a borrower. In some cases, people might just forget to deposit money. To solve this problem people can make use of special financial apps that offer push notifications warning about paydays or traditional notebooks.
The negative effect of late payments depends on the frequency of such violations. If a person does it more than once the credit repair process will be much more complicated. Such records will be in your credit history for up to 7 years from the original delinquency date.
Charge-off
If a person fails to repay a loan, a lender can close the borrower’s account. It usually happens after 6 months or 180 days of non-payment and means that a credit provider doesn’t believe a person will be able to repay the money owed. The next stage is usually a collection agency.
A charge-off account seriously harms a credit score. It can be issued for credit cards, personal and auto loans, mortgages, or any other type of borrowed money. If it happens, the negative impact of this event on your score will depend on how fast you will close a loan.
Bills sent to collection agencies
If a borrower fails to repay a debt an account can be sent to a collection agency. Despite many myths, the main objective of such organizations is not to threaten but to help people find a way to fulfill their financial obligations.
Collection agencies usually start with the analysis of the debtor’s credit history and financial habits.In most cases, collectors work both with individuals and legal entities. It can fully buy the loan from a lender. In such a way the agency concludes an assignment agreement or tries to make the borrower pay money back on behalf of a credit institution.
This information is usually deleted from a credit report only after 7 years. How long does it take to repair credit in this case? Everything depends on you. The faster you pay off your debt, the faster you will be able to start your credit score boost.
Settled accounts
If a lender agrees to accept a sum lower than you were expected to pay at the beginning to close a debt it will be a settled account. The settlement in some cases can take from 24 to 48 hours. This type of information is likely to spoil your credit report a little bit and will be recorded for up to 7,5 years.
Why does it happen with a score? Because settled accounts show that a person wasn’t able to repay debt in full.
Closed accounts
A closed account is a deactivated bank profile. How long does it take to repair credit after a closed account report? Everything depends on your financial behavior. If you did everything as expected, your score can increase. This positive information about you as a borrower will be on your report for up to 10 years.
On the other hand, if a lender had a bad experience while working with you, your credit score will fall after account closure. This information will be deleted after 7 years. What’s more, by closing old credit cards a person can lower their available score. It will limit the financial opportunities of a user considerably.
Foreclosure
It works only with secured loans. In such credits, borrowers use their property as collateral. In case they fail to repay their debt, they are forced to sell this collateral to recover the loan balance. This procedure is really harmful not only for a psychological condition of a person but for a credit score as well.
How does it happen? A lender has to appeal to a court to get permission to sell the customer’s property. The court will set a new payment date. If a person fails to repay the money again, the lender has a right to sell the property. The foreclosure information will be on your credit report for 7 years. It may make some lenders avoid approving your loans.
Chapter 7 bankruptcy filings
Bankruptcy is the most unpleasant thing for both individuals and companies. In case of financial difficulties, people are forced to file for bankruptcy. There are several types of them. Now we will talk about Chapter 7 insolvency. Under this one unsecured debt is canceled and secured – liquidated.
As a result, a company ends all its operations. The process of filing for chapter 7 bankruptcy can take from 6 to 12 months. Within this period the courts will define how the assets should be distributed. If you are bankrupt after Chapter 7 you will need 10 years to rebuild it.
Hard inquiries for new credit
In most cases when a person applies for a loan, a lender conducts a serious check-up company. It happens so because credit score and history are the best ways to understand whether a client is a reputable borrower.
Hard inquiry (hard pull) is a type of credit history screening by the provider of financial services. Lenders usually apply for a credit report to major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion. It is done to make decisions as to the loan, mortgage, or credit card approval.
A hard inquiry is recorded in the credit history of a potential borrower and lowers a credit rating. Such records will be deleted after no more than two years.
Let’s conclude: how long will it take to repair credit
As we have mentioned, credit repair takes some time. There are a lot of factors that influence the borrower’s credit score and history. These two aspects are pivotal for lenders when approving new loans. You should understand that negative information will be kept in your profile for 7-10 years.
However, it doesn’t mean that all this time you will be unable to make use of financial services.The credit repair length depends on the steps you take to change the situation for the better. Even if you have negative records, you can gradually improve your credit score.
In most cases, it is possible to add some points within one month. If you have serious violations, credit repair takes from 1 to 2 years.To boost a credit score from 500 to 580-670 points a person has to spend between 12 and 18 months. Your main objective in credit repair is just to begin! Start doing something in order not to google “Can credit card companies sue you?”.