How to Remove Old Credit From Credit Report

Information stays on your credit reports from 7 to 10 years, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. The period is the same whether the information is good or bad. It should drop off automatically after that, but sometimes it remains. You will want to remove it if it is negative because it will bring down your credit score as long as it stays on the reports.

Instructions

1

Request copies of your credit reports from all three credit bureaus. Experian, Transunion and Equifax are independent bureaus, so each may contain different information. The Federal Trade Commission says they must all give you a free copy every 12 months under the law. Request it by calling (877) 322-8228 or going to the annualcreditreport.com website. Both of these sources are run by the government and provide reports without any purchase obligation.

2

Read through the three credit reports and make a list of any items that at least seven years old. The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco says most accounts and other items must be removed at the end of seven years, but certain bankruptcies can stay on for 10 years, depending on the terms of the settlement.

3

Dispute any old items with the credit bureaus on the grounds that the reporting time frame has passed. Credit bureaus are required to remove erroneous items once you report them. They will conduct an investigation and notify you of the results.

4

Re-check your credit reports once the credit bureaus finish their investigations and say they have removed the old items. Normally they will do so, but it's always best to double-check.