 TITLE: How Long After You Pay Off Debt Does Your Credit Improve? CONTENT: Negative Items\n--------------\nJust as responsible spending and debt repayment can benefit your credit for years to come, negative items on your credit report can hurt your score. Most negative items stay on your credit report for seven years, but others can last a decade. Here's what to expect:\n*   **Late or missed payments**: When a significantly late payment on a loan or line of credit is reported to the credit bureaus, it can stay on your report for up to seven years.\n*   **Collections**: Debt that's past due enough that it's sent to collections will be noted on your credit report and remain there for seven years. Collection accounts can have a significant negative impact on your score.\n*   **Bankruptcy**: Filing for bankruptcy can significantly hurt your credit score, and for a long time. Chapter 13 bankruptcy remains on credit reports for seven years, while Chapter 7 bankruptcy sticks around for 10 years.\n*   **Other negative marks**: Credit reporting agencies can also report foreclosures, repossessions and debt settlements for up to seven years since these all indicate that credit wasn't paid back as agreed. END