The Fair Credit Reporting Act sets maximum times that negative information can appear on your credit report.
- Late payments: 7 years from the date of the missed payment
- Collections: 7 years from the original delinquency
- Chapter 7 bankruptcy: 10 years
- Chapter 13 bankruptcy: 7 years
- Judgments: no longer reported by the three major bureaus (as of 2017)
- Tax liens: no longer reported by the three major bureaus (as of 2018)
- Hard inquiries: 2 years
These are maximums. Items can be removed earlier if they are inaccurate, unverifiable, or successfully disputed. A consultation can help you determine which items on your report you may have grounds to challenge.