Expert Opinion

Questions About Collections

Dear Melissa Douros,
I recently checked my credit report because I am thinking about purchasing my first home. I have spoken with a lender who pointed out some things that are in collections that would have to be taken care of first. I noticed that a few of the items would be falling off my report within the next month or two. If I set up a settlement to pay them off will that extend the item on my report or will it still fall off? Or since I\'m not going to be buying until the items are cleared should I just not bother with them, save some money, let them fall off my credit and improve my score?

Dear Damian,

At no point will you extend any time frame with the credit bureaus if you do pay off the reported delinquent balances. They are set to fall off at a certain date and on activity will extend this.

I never advocate not paying your bills. As a small business owner and with clients as small business owners, I have personally seen companies go under from one customer not paying. All debt should be paid, regardless of credit or the statue of limitations.

That being said, once the accounts, provided that they are not judgments, expire on your credit report, they will be removed. This would then lead you to save some money.

Do YOU have a question for Melissa Douros? Email at melissa@dovcocs.com.

As the owner of Dovco Collection Solutions, Inc., Melissa Douros uses her eight years of being a collections specialist to offer advice and answer questions pertaining to debt collection. With running her own successful collection agency, she seeks to keep debt collectors accountable for their actions and in line with the law.

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