Three lines to look at before any dispute.

A good dispute starts with accurate observation, not guesswork. Before you challenge anything, read your report slowly and look at three lines on each account.

• The status and balance. Is the account reported accurately? A paid account still marked unpaid, or a balance that looks wrong, is worth flagging.
• The date of first delinquency. This date controls when a negative item should age off your report, generally about seven years. An item reporting past its time can be challenged.
• The creditor and account number. Look for accounts you do not recognize, the same debt listed twice, or a collection that duplicates the original. These are common and disputable.

When you can point to a specific line and say exactly what is wrong with it, your dispute is far stronger than a general complaint. The goal is not to challenge everything, it is to challenge what is genuinely inaccurate, outdated, or unverifiable.

Know what you are challenging and why before you send anything.

Not sure how to read those lines? That is the first thing we do together on a review call.

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