Definition
Public records in the context of credit reporting refer to legal information filed with courts that reflect on your financial responsibility. Historically, these included bankruptcies, civil judgments, and tax liens. However, since 2017-2018, most civil judgments and tax liens have been removed from credit reports due to higher data quality standards. Today, bankruptcies are the primary public records that still appear on credit reports. These records are gathered by credit bureaus from public court systems and can significantly impact your credit score, with bankruptcies generally causing the most damage and remaining on your credit report for 7-10 years.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do public records stay on my credit report?
Bankruptcy public records remain on your credit report for 7-10 years, depending on the type (Chapter 13 bankruptcies stay for 7 years from filing date, while Chapter 7 bankruptcies remain for 10 years). Most other public records like paid tax liens and civil judgments have been removed from credit reports since 2017-2018 due to higher data quality standards implemented by the credit bureaus.
Can I remove public records from my credit report?
Public records can only be removed from your credit report if they're inaccurate or outdated. If the information is correct, it will generally remain until the standard reporting period expires (7-10 years for bankruptcies). If you believe a public record on your credit report is incorrect, you can dispute it with the credit bureaus, providing documentation that proves the error.
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