Credit Reporting Agencies - What Is On Your Report?

Dear Audrey,

We had to file bankruptcy in 2000. What is the expiration date for this record on our credit report?

Toni S.

Dear Toni,

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, bankruptcy records expire from your credit report after 10 years. If you filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2000, you should see the record removed in 2010. Some credit reporting agencies have an unofficial policy of removing Chapter 13 bankruptcy records from your report after 7 years. If this is the type of bankruptcy you filed, you may see the record removed in 2007.

The accounts that were included in your bankruptcy expire independently of your bankruptcy filing record. Each of the files marked as "Included in BK" on your credit report will remain up to 7 years from the filing date.

If you don't see the bankruptcy records removed from your credit report a few weeks after the expiration date, you can work with the credit reporting agencies to have your information updated.

Best wishes,

Audrey O'Dell