How long does fixing your credit take?

The time it takes depends partly on how many negative accounts appear on your credit reports. Even if you have only one negative account, working through an initial dispute and follow-up steps across three credit reporting agencies can take about three months, and sometimes longer.

An account must be disputed separately with each credit reporting agency that reports the information you are questioning—Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. One agency may delete the account while the other two verify it. Those different results may lead to a second step and possibly a third, depending on the responses and what remains unresolved.

For each dispute or follow-up investigation, generally allow 30 days from the agency’s receipt; some circumstances permit up to 45 days. Your Credit Path strategy helps you record those dates, review each response and determine your next step.

Progress is possible. A correction or deletion is not guaranteed, but needing another step does not mean you have failed. Patience, consistency and careful follow-through are valuable parts of taking control of your credit.