Removing a judgement from your credit report can often seem like a daunting task, but with the right approach, you can make it happen. This guide provides insights and tactics to help you navigate this process. Let’s dive into the steps to clear your credit report of judgements!
In This Article
Handling Paid Judgements
Paid judgements are significantly easier to remove than unpaid ones. If you’ve cleared your judgement, your first step should be to reach out to the plaintiff’s attorney. Politely request them to file a motion to vacate the judgement. In most jurisdictions, this is allowed once the judgement is paid in full. Be prepared to incur some attorney fees, but consider this an investment towards cleaning up your credit report.
In certain states like Illinois, you don’t even need to consult the attorney. You can directly head to your courthouse and consult with a clerk. They’ll guide you through the paperwork needed to bring the case back into court for vacating the judgement. Remember, this only applies if the judgement is paid.
Removing Public Record Information
If you have an unpaid judgement, removing it from your credit report can be more challenging. The first step is to understand how public records report on your credit report. Unlike regular creditor accounts, public records are reported by third-party companies, such as LexisNexis, who provide information to the three credit bureaus.
The key here is to minimize the data that can be linked from the public record to your credit report. Start by contacting the three credit bureaus to remove all obsolete addresses and phone numbers. The idea is, with less data to verify, it becomes harder for the bureaus to justify keeping the information on the report.
Once you’ve cleaned up your data, you should dispute the account through the three credit bureaus. After about 30 days, you’ll know if the judgement has been removed. If it has, then congratulations, your job here is done!
When Your Initial Dispute Fails
If the judgement was not removed after your initial dispute, don’t despair. Your next step involves a Method of Verification letter. This method, often called the ‘secret weapon of credit repair’, can help you remove the account, even though credit bureaus have started to become aware of this tactic.
When disputes are processed through credit bureaus, they’re managed via a universal computer system called eOscar. This system translates your dispute into a vague two-digit code, which is sent to the furnisher of the information, often leading to disputes being verified despite valid evidence supporting your claim.
Upon receiving notice that your disputed information has been verified as accurate, you can demand to know the method of verification under FCRA section 611 (a) (7). The bureau must supply this information within 15 days.
The strength of this method lies in time constraint. The bureaus only have 15 days to provide the method they used for verification.They must now submit the tangible evidence you provided and obtain an actual response within 15 days. Frequently, they can’t meet this deadline, leading to the removal of the negative information from your credit report. This is the theory, but if they fail to remove, you would need to consider legal action and that isn’t always ideal.
The End Result
Remember, removing a judgement from your credit report is an art that requires patience and persistence. Even if the process seems intimidating at first, following these steps can potentially clean up your credit report and set you on a path towards financial health.
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