How Long Does It Take for Paid Collections to Be Removed from a Credit Report? The Truth About the 7-Year Wait
Paid collections remain on your credit report for 7 years from the date of first delinquency on the original account, and paying the collection does not remove it from your report or speed up the removal timeline. The 7-year period begins when you first fell behind with the original creditor before the account went to collections—not when you paid the debt, and automatic removal happens at the 7-year mark regardless of payment status.
Approximately 60% of consumers mistakenly believe paying a collection removes it from their credit report immediately, according to a 2025 Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) study. This misunderstanding causes people to delay applying for mortgages and loans for 8-12 months unnecessarily, costing them opportunities for homeownership and better interest rates.
This Affects You If You Recently Paid a Collection and Are Wondering When It Will Disappear
If you recently paid off a collection account and are frustrated it’s still showing up on your credit report months later, understanding this timeline matters because you need to know exactly when the account will fall off and how it affects your credit score right now. Many lenders use newer scoring models that ignore paid collections immediately, meaning paying that debt may have helped your score more than you think—even though the account is still visible.
The 7-Year Timeline for Paid Collections
Paid Collections Stay for the Full 7 Years
Paid collections stay on credit reports for exactly 7 years from the date of first delinquency. This is when you first missed payments with the original creditor and never caught up. Paying the collection does NOT remove it from your report. Paying does NOT speed up the removal timeline. Paying does NOT restart the 7-year clock—this is a myth.
The date you paid the collection is completely irrelevant to when it falls off. The date the collection agency purchased the debt is irrelevant. The date the collection first appeared on your report is irrelevant.
Automatic removal happens at exactly the 7-year mark without any action needed from you. The collection will fall off whether you paid it or not—unpaid collections also fall off after 7 years.
This 7-year rule is mandated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. § 1681c) and applies to all consumer debts except federal student loans and tax liens. After 7 years, the collection account completely disappears from your credit report as if it never existed.
What Happens Immediately After You Pay a Collection
Within 30-45 days after payment, the collection account status updates from “unpaid” or “open” to “paid” or “paid in full.” If you settled for less than the full balance, it may show as “settled.”
The account remains visible on your credit report showing it was a collection that you paid. The balance updates to $0 or shows the settled amount if you paid less than full.
Your credit score may improve by 10-50 points if the lender uses newer scoring models like FICO 9, FICO 10, or VantageScore 3.0/4.0 that ignore paid collections. However, if the lender uses older models like FICO 8 for credit cards or FICO 5/4/2 for mortgages, your score may not improve at all or may improve only slightly.
The negative impact of the collection gradually lessens over time—a 2-year-old paid collection hurts less than a 6-month-old paid collection. But the account stays visible on your report until the 7-year mark.
Creditors and lenders reviewing your credit can still see the paid collection and may consider it when making lending decisions. Manual underwriters may view paid collections more favorably than unpaid, but they can still see them.
Pro Tip: The date you paid your collection has nothing to do with when it falls off your credit report. The only date that matters is the “Date of First Delinquency” from when you first missed payments with the original creditor. Check this date on your credit report to calculate your exact removal date.
Why Paying Doesn’t Automatically Remove Collections
The Fair Credit Reporting Act allows negative information including collections to remain on credit reports for 7 years regardless of whether you paid them. The purpose of credit reports is to show your complete credit history to future lenders, including past problems.
Paying a debt you legitimately owe doesn’t change the fact that it went to collections in the first place. Credit bureaus are legally required to report accurate information even if it’s negative and even if you’ve paid it.
Collection agencies have no legal obligation to remove accurate information from your credit report after you pay unless they specifically agreed to do so in a written pay-for-delete agreement before you made the payment.
Some collection agencies voluntarily remove paid collections as a courtesy to consumers, but this is not required by law and is becoming less common. Credit bureaus actually discourage pay-for-delete agreements because they want credit reports to show complete accurate history.
The only guaranteed way to get a collection removed after payment is if you negotiated a pay-for-delete agreement in writing before making the payment.
How to Calculate Exactly When Your Paid Collection Will Fall Off
Finding Your Date of First Delinquency
Get your credit report from all three bureaus—Equifax, Experian, TransUnion—at AnnualCreditReport.com. Locate the collection account on your report. Find the field labeled “Date of First Delinquency” or “Date of First Delinquency on Original Account.”
Add exactly 7 years to that date—that’s your automatic removal date. Ignore all other dates including the date you paid the collection, date collection agency bought the debt, date collection first appeared on your report, date of last payment, and date account was opened.
Example: If your date of first delinquency was June 10, 2019, add 7 years = June 10, 2026 is when the collection automatically falls off your report. If you paid the collection on January 15, 2023, that payment date is irrelevant—the removal date is still June 10, 2026.
What If the Date Is Wrong or Missing
If the date of first delinquency is inaccurate or not listed, dispute it with the credit bureaus in writing. Request that the collection agency provide the correct date of first delinquency. If they can’t verify the correct date, the account may need to be removed.
Never accept a collection agency changing the date of first delinquency to a more recent date—this is illegal “re-aging” under the FCRA and you can sue if it happens.
How Paid Collections Affect Your Credit Score with Different Scoring Models
Newer Scoring Models Ignore Paid Collections
FICO 9 (released 2014, increasingly adopted 2024-2025), FICO 10 and 10T (released 2020), VantageScore 3.0 (released 2013), and VantageScore 4.0 (released 2017) completely ignore paid collection accounts when calculating your credit score.
These models treat paid collections as if they don’t exist. Your score can improve immediately after paying a collection if a lender uses these models.
Older Scoring Models Still Count Paid Collections
FICO 8 is still the most widely used model for credit cards and auto loans as of 2026. FICO 5, 4, and 2 are still used by most mortgage lenders as of 2026.
These older models count paid collections as negative factors that hurt your score. Paying a collection may improve your score slightly with these models, but the collection still hurts you. The collection continues to negatively impact your score until it falls off after 7 years.
Important Caveat About Scoring Models
Even with newer models that ignore paid collections, the collection still appears on your credit report. Lenders can still see the paid collection when manually reviewing your credit.
Some lenders may still consider paid collections in their lending decisions even if they don’t affect your score. This means paying a collection helps with some lenders but not all. You won’t know which scoring model a lender uses until you apply.
What You Must Know About Special Rules and Myths
Special Rules for Medical Collections
As of July 2022, paid medical collections are removed from credit reports immediately after payment—they don’t stay for 7 years like other collections. As of March 2023, medical collections under $500 are not reported on credit reports at all.
Unpaid medical collections don’t appear on credit reports until they’ve been in collections for 1 year. These special rules only apply to medical collections—not credit card debt, personal loans, or other consumer debts.
If you have medical collections on your report, paying them will result in immediate removal. This is a significant difference from other types of collections and can improve your credit score quickly.
Common Myths About Paid Collection Removal
Myth: Paying a collection removes it from your credit report. Reality: It stays for 7 years from date of first delinquency regardless of payment.
Myth: Paying a collection restarts the 7-year clock. Reality: The date of first delinquency never changes and payment doesn’t restart the timeline.
Myth: Settling a collection for less than the full amount makes it fall off sooner. Reality: Settled collections stay for the full 7 years just like paid-in-full collections.
Myth: Making a payment arrangement or payment plan changes the removal date. Reality: The 7-year clock started when you first fell behind with the original creditor.
Myth: Paying a collection will immediately improve your credit score. Reality: It depends on which scoring model the lender uses—newer models ignore paid collections but older models still count them.
Myth: Collection agencies will automatically remove collections after you pay. Reality: They have no legal obligation to remove accurate information unless you negotiated pay-for-delete in writing before payment.
Ways to Potentially Get Paid Collections Removed Early
Pay-for-delete agreements: Negotiate BEFORE paying the collection. Request in writing that the collection agency will delete the account from all three credit bureaus within 30 days of payment. Get the agreement in writing before making payment—verbal promises are not enforceable.
Not all collection agencies will agree to pay-for-delete, especially larger agencies and debt buyers. Smaller collection agencies and original creditors are more likely to agree.
Goodwill deletion requests: After paying a collection, you can write a goodwill letter asking the collection agency to remove it as a courtesy. Explain any hardship that caused the debt—medical emergency, job loss, divorce. Emphasize that you’ve paid the debt and are rebuilding your credit. This works occasionally but is not guaranteed.
Disputing after payment: If any information about the paid collection is inaccurate, dispute it with credit bureaus in writing. Inaccuracies might include wrong balance amount, wrong dates, wrong creditor name, duplicate accounts, or account showing unpaid when you paid it.
What to Do Next Based on Your Situation
If You Haven’t Paid the Collection Yet
Decide whether to pay based on your situation. If you need credit soon and lenders use newer scoring models, paying may help. If you can wait 2+ years and the collection is close to falling off, you might wait for automatic removal.
If you decide to pay, negotiate pay-for-delete in writing BEFORE making payment. Get written agreement that the collection will be removed from all three bureaus within 30 days of payment. Never pay without a written pay-for-delete agreement if your goal is removal.
If You Already Paid the Collection
Calculate your exact removal date using the date of first delinquency plus 7 years. Set a calendar reminder for that date so you can verify removal.
Try sending a goodwill deletion letter explaining your situation and asking for removal as a courtesy. Dispute any inaccurate information about the paid collection with credit bureaus.
File a CFPB complaint if the collection agency violated rules or made false promises about removal. Focus on building positive credit while waiting for automatic removal—make on-time payments on current accounts, keep credit card balances low, don’t close old accounts.
Monitoring Your Credit and Verifying Removal
Get free credit reports from AnnualCreditReport.com every 12 months from each bureau. Sign up for free credit monitoring through Credit Karma, Credit Sesame, or your bank to track changes.
Check all three bureaus—Equifax, Experian, TransUnion—because information may differ. Verify the collection status updated to “paid” within 30-45 days of payment. Verify the date of first delinquency is accurate—this determines your removal date.
Set a calendar reminder for your 7-year removal date. Check your credit reports 30 days after your removal date to confirm the collection is gone. If the collection is still there after 7 years, dispute it immediately with all three bureaus as outdated information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does paying a collection remove it from my credit report?
No, paying a collection doesn’t automatically remove it from your credit report. The account will update to show “paid” status but typically remains for 7 years from the date of first delinquency. However, newer credit scoring models like FICO 9 and VantageScore 4.0 ignore paid collections, which may improve your score even though the account is still visible.
How long do paid collections stay on my credit report?
Paid collections stay on your credit report for 7 years from the date of first delinquency on the original account—not from when the collection agency bought the debt or when you made a payment. After 7 years, collections automatically fall off your report regardless of whether you paid them. The exception is medical collections, which are removed immediately after payment.
When does the 7-year clock start for collection removal?
The 7-year clock starts on the date of first delinquency—when you first missed payments with the original creditor and never caught up. This date never changes, even if you make a payment on the collection. Making a payment does not restart the 7-year period.
Does paying a collection improve my credit score?
It depends on which credit scoring model lenders use. Newer models like FICO 9, FICO 10, and VantageScore 3.0/4.0 completely ignore paid collections, so your score may improve immediately. Older models like FICO 8 for credit cards and FICO 5/4/2 for mortgages still count paid collections as negative factors, so your score may improve only slightly or not at all.
Can I get a paid collection removed early?
Yes, but it’s not guaranteed. The most effective method is negotiating a pay-for-delete agreement in writing before paying the collection. After payment, you can try sending a goodwill deletion letter, disputing any inaccurate information, or filing a CFPB complaint if the agency violated rules. Medical collections are removed immediately after payment.
What happens after I pay a collection?
Within 30-45 days after payment, the collection account status updates to “paid” or “paid in full” on your credit report. The account remains visible showing it was paid. Your credit score may improve if lenders use newer scoring models that ignore paid collections. The negative impact lessens over time but the account stays on your report until the 7-year mark.
Do paid medical collections stay on my credit report for 7 years?
No, paid medical collections are treated differently. As of July 2022, paid medical collections are removed from credit reports immediately after payment. Additionally, medical collections under $500 are not reported at all as of March 2023. This only applies to medical debt—other types of collections stay for the full 7 years.
Last Updated: January 14, 2026 — We keep this current with the latest legal developments.
Important Disclaimer: This article provides informational content about how long paid collections remain on credit reports based on the Fair Credit Reporting Act and credit bureau policies. This is not legal advice, and AllAboutLawyer.com does not provide legal services. For specific questions about your credit report or paid collection accounts, consult a qualified consumer protection attorney.
Take Action: Check your free credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com to find your date of first delinquency and calculate when collections will fall off. If you’re facing collection issues, learn about your rights under 11 Words To Stop A Debt Collector and explore How to Remove Debt Collection from Credit Report.
Stay informed, stay protected. — AllAboutLawyer.com
About the Author
Sarah Klein, JD, is a former consumer rights attorney who spent years helping clients with issues like unfair billing, product disputes, and debt collection practices. At All About Lawyer, she simplifies consumer protection laws so readers can defend their rights and resolve problems with confidence.
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