text: how can i find out exactly when the seven years of negative info began? i have some negative  credit acounts that are about seven years old. i lost my job and became ill  at the time and couldnt keep up.the problem is that i dont know exactly when the seven years began. i know that the seven years begins from the date the item was first reported deliquent, but my credit report doesnt show that date. it only shows the date opened. some of the accounts have gone to collection agencies. should i try to ask them? would they have that info even if  the debt was sold to more than one collection agency? should i ask the credit buereau? thank you. ignore the goofball who told you the 7 years starts when you payoff the account, that is wrong.  in fact it is 7 years from when the negative event took place whether it is a late pay or a write off.  a complete credit report from the credit bureau will show the date of any negative items.  if the date is incorrect you can dispute it.  never ask a collector anything, they have no interest in helping you and often try to get you to send them even a partial payment which will allow them to re-age your account so it shows up for another 7 years on your credit report.    often collectors will try to collect on debt that is so old that it is beyond the statute of limitations for your state and is legally unenforceble debt.