When you receive a copy of your credit report, you should make it a regular habit to consider any errors that are listed on your credit report. You may have an error listed on your credit report due to a missed credit card payment that you have or for a judgment that has been filed against you. In some cases, a credit card company actually files a wrongful error on your report. It is important for you to take action and try to get any errors taken off of your credit report. You may be wondering about how long bad credit stays on your credit report, and it may be important to know this if you are planning to get an auto loan with bad credit. Even if you have adverse credit events listed on your report, there are dealerships that will still provide you with auto loan plans.

Understand the Type of Error

If you have made any late payments on credit cards, then these will stay listed on your credit report for a total of seven years. You may take some action to try to get the items taken off before seven years have run out. Some people have success when they send a letter of dispute to a credit card company and make a formal request that the late payments be taken off of a credit report. If you have filed for bankruptcy or have experienced a foreclosure, then these events will also be listed on your credit report for seven years. It is very difficult to have a bankruptcy or foreclosure taken off of your credit report.

Deal with the Error

If there have been any judgments filed against you, then these will also be listed on your credit report for up to seven years. It is important that you try to deal with any negative events listed on your credit report. If you offer to make a full payment on the balance for a credit card, then you may be able to have a negative event taken off of your credit report.

Choosing to deal with loans for bad credit will help you improve your credit score for the future. You may be able to increase your credit score and qualify for a loan that has great terms.