Is it possible to have items removed from your credit? And what are some good ways to rebuild damaged credit?

3 years ago I broke a bone and, like the smart, responsible guy I am, I wracked up a lot of hospital bills which I neglected to pay. I thought I had paid them all off finally, until the other day I was going through some old papers, and I found a bill for $558. I didn't remember paying it so I got online and checked my free annual credit report, to find that it was listed on the report from Experian.com but not on Equifax.com. That makes 3 negative items on my credit report, 1 of which is paid off, and the other is being disputed.. (Never name your child after yourself, it's just bad news) Basically what I'm getting at is I'm older now and trying to rebuild my credit and this is just another count against me. I'm getting it taken care of right away but it's still going to hurt my nonexistent credit. Is it possible for them to take the item off of my report if I ask nicely or something? I've had a very difficult time building credit because I have no credit to get any. Advice?

Public Comments

1. try to get it removed and that will help... Call them and see
2. The best way to address an old debt on your credit report is to confront the reporting agency with information that refutes the alleged bad mark on your credit. If you go to Experian's web site, and access through an account you may already have, but can set up for free, you can report and challenge the entry. Be prepared to be persistent. If you challenge an entry, the agency will use its usual network of information sources to confirm or deny the debt without any evidence from you. If you have proof of payment, you may have to bug them to send it to them by fax or mail. Ultimately, you will get the entry "changed" to indicate that the debt has been satisfied, but it will not go away. If the debt became a judgment, the debt will appear for ten years. If the debt was "paid late" you may not be able to remove those entries. But, if you are persistent, and I mean very persistent, you can get that mark removed. David O'Connell O'Connell &Associates San Diego
3. Improving Bad Credit Report: If you have a bad credit record, investigate the reason for this report. If the reason is late or non-payments on your behalf, start making payments to the lender and clear off the debt. A late payment can work against you later on. If you are unable to pay due to shortage of funds, limit your spending. Another solution is to take more credit from reputed lenders who offer you flexible payment schedule. By paying off your huge debt in small amounts quickly, you can impress your prospective lenders. Then finish off the investigation of your credit report conducted by the bureau. Negotiation of Credit Report: Credit bureaus can also make mistakes. They store the ratings of many people and are manned by humans who can make mistakes. They can enter wrong details about you, leading to erroneous credit report. Hence get a copy from the bureau contacted by the lender who refused you credit. Read the information thoroughly and note down any errors. If they try to malign you, complain to the bureau. It is bureau’s duty to look into the matter, report the facts and send the corrected details to the lenders who have turned down your request for credit.