How to Clear Outdated Information on a Credit Report

The Fair Credit Reporting Act prohibits creditors and debt collectors from reporting negative information that is outdated. Negative information, such as charge-offs and collection items, can be listed on your credit reports for seven years. Bankruptcies and foreclosures can be reported for 10 years. Getting them removed from your credit reports is easy--once the proper amount of time has passed.

Instructions

1

Get a copy of your credit report from the AnnualCreditReport Web site (see Resources)--a Web site established by the nationwide credit bureaus to provide free credit reports as required by law.

2

Find the accounts that you want removed. Confirm that at least seven years have passed since the last payment on your credit accounts. Or confirm that at least 10 years have passed since the date of your discharge from bankruptcy and seven years have passed since a foreclosure.

3

Write a letter to the credit bureaus requesting that the information be deleted because it is outdated. Send the letter to the address on the credit report. Alternatively, you can enter the dispute online (see Resources). Wait for a response by standard mail or e-mail, depending on how you challenged the information.