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The Daily Insight Hub

What happens after 7 years charge off?

Author

Matthew Harrington

Updated on February 12, 2026

Once the account has been charged off, the creditor turns the account over to a collection agency, and then they attempt to collect the past due amount. After seven years from the point the account became delinquent, most charge-offs are removed from your credit history.

Can I dispute a charge off after 7 years?

Time Limits for Negative Information An account closed in good standing may remain on your credit report much longer than seven years. However, if old accounts are still on your credit report, you can use a dispute process to have them removed. Note that the credit reporting time limit applies to negative items.

Why is a charge off still reporting after 7 years?

The original delinquency date is the date of the first missed payment that led up to the charge off status. Once the seven year period is up, the negative information will be removed automatically. The longer ago the delinquent or derogatory information occurred, the less it will negatively impact your credit scores.

How long does it take to get a charge off off your credit report?

In most cases, you’ll have to be patient where charge-offs and your credit reports are concerned. The FCRA states that credit reporting agencies must remove charge-offs from your credit reports after seven years. But nothing forces a credit bureau or creditor to remove a charge-off early.

What happens to a negative credit report after 7 years?

Negative credit accounts, such as charge-off accounts or collections, have a limited amount of time that they can appear on your credit report. After seven years, most negative accounts are automatically deleted from your credit report, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

Can a charge off come back after 7 years?

Once the account has been charged off, the creditor turns the account over to a collection agency, and then they attempt to collect the past due amount. After seven years from the point the account became delinquent, most charge-offs are removed from your credit history. But technically you are still on the hook for the money.

How does a charge off affect your credit?

As long as a charge-off appears on your reports, it has the potential to affect your credit scores in a negative way. It’s worth pointing out that the seven-year credit reporting clock starts ticking on the date of the original terminal delinquency. That’s the date the original account became 180 days past due.