Reader’s Question

Hi there,
I had a bill due around May 2nd, but was not able to pay the bill until May 29th. However, the creditor reported it on my credit report as a late payment. I heard that the creditor only shows deliquencies after 30 days. Am i correct?

My Response

Hi [name removed],
Generally it is the case that creditors only report late payments that are 30+ days late. However, this is not a rule and the creditor could technically report it late at their discretion (given that the payment was indeed late). Nonetheless, I would at least give them a call and ask if they will give you a break and remove the negative entry –you might be surprised.

Hope this helps,
Ashley

Reader’s Question

Hello Ashley -
I had an account with Citi that went to collections after a charge off, can I bypass the collection agency and call Citi directly?

Thanks!
[name removed]

Response

Hi [name removed]

Yes, in most cases you can do this. As a matter of fact, I recommend always calling the original creditor first –that way you don’t have to deal with scum bag collection agencies.

-Ashley

Reader’s Question

Dear Ashley,
I’ve have charge offs on my credit report that are about 3 years old, would it be better to try and fix them with he original creditor or the collection agency ?

Thanks (name removed)

Response

Are they paid? If not, are you looking to pay them? If they are not paid, do not deal with the collection agency! Contact the original creditor and negotiate payoff. There is no advantage to working with the collection agency. Unless the account was out right sold to the collection agency, it’s most likely that the original creditor is simply using the collection agency to collect the debt. Therefore, they will also still work with you directly.

Ashley