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FAQ

• Frequently asked questions — Short answers to the questions we see most often.
• Will disputing hurt my credit score? — No — disputing itself doesn't lower your score. Here's what could, and how to avoid it.
• What if I already paid the debt? — Paying a debt doesn't remove it from your report. Disputes still apply on accuracy grounds.
• What if the item really is mine? — Accuracy is the standard, not ownership. An item being yours doesn't mean it's reported correctly.
• Medical debt disputes — Recent CFPB and bureau rules removed most medical debt from credit reports. Here's what's still reportable and how to push back on what shouldn't be.
• Student loan disputes — Federal and private student loans report differently and dispute differently. What works on each.
• Mortgage and auto loan disputes — Real estate and auto loans report differently from credit cards. The dispute path bends with the asset.
• Bankruptcy on my report — Chapter 7 reports for 10 years, Chapter 13 for 7. The bankruptcy itself often isn't the highest-leverage dispute target — the included tradelines are.
• Charge-offs vs collections — They're different reporting events for the same debt. Here's how the math works — and why one debt can show as both.
• Hard inquiries — what to dispute — When inquiries are valid and when they're not. Score impact is small but the dispute path is open.
• Mixed files and merged files — When someone else's data ends up on your credit report. It's more common than people realize, and the dispute path is straightforward.
• Authorized user tradelines — AU tradelines report on your file even though you don't owe the debt. When that helps, when it hurts, and how to remove yourself.