 TITLE: Can Paying off Collections Raise Your Credit Score? CONTENT: The Bottom Line\n---------------\nMost negative credit information, including collections, must eventually be removed from your credit reports as a matter of law. It's in your best interest, however, to pay or settle the debt as quickly as possible. Remember, newer credit scoring models ignore zero-balance collections, while older scoring models do not.\nIf you want to check collection balances, or you don't know what's on your credit reports, you can access a free copy of each of your credit reports from the three major credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion and Equifax) once a year at www.AnnualCreditReport.com. You can also check your Experian credit report every 30 days for free. END