How to Get a Judgement Off Your Credit Report

A debt judgment from a credit account can have a serious negative impact on your credit score. A credit account judgment can lower your FICO score and stay on your credit report for up to seven years. There are several things that you can do to try and get the judgment removed from your credit report.

Things You'll Need

• Credit report
• Judgment documents

Instructions

1. Get a current copy of your credit report from all three credit bureaus: Experian, Transunion and Equifax. Visit AnnualCreditReport.com to request your free credit report from each credit bureau. Once you get your credit report, read over it very carefully to make sure that all of the information about the debt judgment is correct. That date of the judgment, the amount, the amount you have paid toward the debt prior the to judgment and the credit account information are all things that you should pay particular attention to. You should also look for any typos on your credit report, too. If it is not 100 percent correct, consumer debt laws make it questionable. You have the right to an accurate credit report history and you should make every effort to see that you have one.

2. If any of the debt judgment information is inaccurate, you should file a credit dispute report. A dispute is very simple to file. You simply fill out a debt dispute form with each of the credit bureaus or send a credit dispute letter to the credit bureau.

3. Another way you can get a debt judgment removed from your credit report is to contact the creditor and try to negotiate a settlement for the credit account involved in the judgment. You may be able to negotiate a settlement amount for a fraction of the total amount and even work out payment arrangements with the creditor. Make sure you get any and all arrangements made with the creditor in writing, so that you can provide the credit bureaus with a copy of the credit account settlement. Once you are able to do this, the credit bureaus will report the judgment as settled.

Tips & Warnings

• You should not need to pay for an annual credit report. Beware of impostor websites that promise "free" credit reports. They usually have hidden fees. The only website that is authorize to provide free annual credit reports is AnnualCreditReport.com.

• Get all negotiations in writing before you send out payments. You want to do this so that if the creditor does not report the debt as settled, you can provide the credit bureau with the proper documentation to get the judgment removed.

References

• AnnualCreditReport.com: Home
• Experian: Personal Services -- Frequently Asked Questions
• TransUnion: Home
• Equifax: Home
• Bankrate.com: 5 Steps To Do-it-yourself Credit Repair