There are a lot of misconceptions being thrown around the internet by “Credit Experts” stating that paying collections will hurt your credit score.

On the flip side, a lot of consumers think paying collections have to either a) be removed once paid or b) will improve their credit scores once paid.

Here are the facts.

Both notions are wrong!

You don’t pay collections to repair your credit or improve your credit score. You pay collections to stop the bleeding and to stop any further damage.

The damage to your credit was done as soon as it turned to collection. Paying it off will not change the fact that it turned into a collection, nor does it make it go away; only time will do that.

So why is ignoring them a bad idea?

Because almost all collections will turn into either a lawsuit, judgment, wage garnishment …or all of the above.

If you get a judgment added to your credit report (on top of the collection) your problems just got worse - A LOT WORSE!

We recommend to all of our clients to take care of collections and just get it out of the way. Imagine you join a credit repair program and you see your credit score going up and up. You’re finally starting to feel normal again, and then you’re slapped with a judgment making things worse then they were.

Not only is paying your bills the right thing to do, it’s the start of truly making a change in your credit. It’s releasing that anchor that’s been holding you down.