How Do I Repair My Credit Report Due to Child Support?

The Social Service agencies of most state departments are responsible for monitoring child support payments. If you don't make your child support payments, these agencies do report it to the credit reporting agencies, which can cause your credit score to plummet. Overdue child support payments can also cause a blemish on your credit report, which can prevent you from obtaining credit and loans in the future. Whether the overdue child support showing on your credit is accurate or inaccurate, you can repair your credit.

Instructions

Overdue Child Support

1

Pull your credit reports. In order to see if overdue child support is showing on your credit reports, order a copy of your credit report from each of the three credit agencies (TransUnion, Experian and Equifax -- see Resources for links).

2

Contact social service agency for your state. If overdue child support is showing on your credit report, contact the social service agency for your state. You can usually obtain the contact information from the credit report.

3

Make arrangements to pay your overdue child support. Tell the social service agency that you would like to make payment arrangements or pay off your outstanding child support amount. Once you make the payment arrangement, make sure you receive a copy of the agreement in writing from social services and also be sure to stick to your end of the deal by paying the child support amount you've agreed to pay. Once you pay your overdue child support or start to make payments, the overdue child support is removed from your credit report.

Inaccurate Child Support

4

Pull your credit reports. Request one copy of your credit report by phone, fax or online from each of the three credit reporting agencies (TransUnion, Experian and Equifax -- see Resources).

5

Review each credit report. Review each credit report thoroughly to see if overdue child support is showing as a negative item on your credit report. If overdue child support is showing, but you no longer owe child support or you paid the overdue child support amount, then you can dispute the item.

6

Dispute the overdue child support. Read the instructions for each credit agency on how to dispute inaccurate items and follow these instructions to start the dispute process on having the item removed from your credit. The credit agency may require that you provide proof of child support payment such as cancelled checks or a letter from the social services agency.