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How many points does collections affect credit score?

Author

Jackson Reed

Updated on February 18, 2026

Late payments and collections account for 35% of your score, so collection accounts could be dragging your score down 100 or more points, depending on what else is on your report. Unfortunately, simply paying a collection account without getting it removed may not improve your credit score significantly or at all.

How do collection accounts affect credit score?

Collections have a negative effect on your credit score. Collections remain on your credit report for seven years past the date of delinquency. In the newest versions of FICO® and VantageScore®, paid collections don’t hurt your score but unpaid collections do.

Does a paid collection affect a credit score?

When you pay or settle a collection and it is updated to reflect the zero balance on your credit reports, your FICO® 9 and VantageScore 3.0 and 4.0 scores may improve. This means despite it being a good idea to pay or settle your collections, a higher credit score may not be the result.

How many points is a collection account?

The current FICO algorithm does not differentiate between medical collections and any other type of collections—they all impact scores equally. It can drop your score more than 100 points and can stay on your report for up to seven years.

How many points will a collection affect your credit score?

How Many Points Will a Collection Affect Your Credit Score? If your credit scores are in the 700s, the first collection can cost you well over 100 points. If you have lower scores and other types of negatives, the new collection will have less impact, but it will still be significant.

What are the factors that affect a beacon score?

Smaller determining factors include the length of your credit history (about 5-7%), the amount of new credit you have or have applied for (about 10-12%), and the types of credit you use (about %15). Know what doesn’t factor in to your score.

What’s the difference between credit score and Beacon score?

A score above 780 will put you in the top 20% of borrowers, whereas a score below 619 will put you in the bottom 20%. Understand what has been used to determine your score. Many different factors go into determining your credit score, and each have a different weight in the algorithm.

Where can I find the Equifax Beacon score?

There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. An Equifax FICO Risk Score, previously called a Beacon or Pinnacle score, is a measure of creditworthiness. Like other types of credit scores, it is the product of an algorithm that analyzes your credit history.