I have an Experian membership. I missed a payment and my score dropped. When will it go back up? I have one collection.
- MSC
Dear MSC,
How long it will take for your credit scores to recover after a missed payment depends on how strong the rest of your credit history is and how you manage your credit accounts going forward.
Your payment history is the most important factor in your credit scores, so missing a payment will have a negative impact on your credit scores right away. A missed payment, especially a recent one, tells lenders that you may be having financial difficulty and is a sign of credit risk.
When Will My Credit Score Go Back Up After Missed Payment?
If you haven't already, the first thing you should do is bring your account current. You mentioned that you also have a collection account on your report. Paying off that collection account could help improve your credit scores right away. If you have a past due or outstanding balance on any other accounts, focus on bringing those accounts current as well.
The second most important factor in credit scoring is your credit utilization rate, sometimes referred to as your utilization ratio or balance-to-limit ratio. Your utilization rate measures the balances on your revolving accounts in relation to your credit limits. The lower your utilization, the better for your scores, so paying down your credit card balances can help your credit scores recover.
Address Your Credit Score Risk Factors
When you requested your credit score, you should have received with it a list of the risk factors that are currently impacting your credit score the most. These factors are specific to your unique credit history, and give insight into what changes you can make to begin improving your score.
Late payments stay on the credit report for seven years. However, your most recent credit history is weighed most heavily. That means as time passes, a past delinquency will impact your credit scores less and less, especially if all your other payments are made on time going forward.
Thank you for asking,
Jennifer White, Consumer Education Specialist
This question came from a recent Periscope session we hosted.
