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Derogatory Credit Information in Your Credit Report and How to Handle It
The derogatory credit information section in your credit report lists all the items that negatively affect your credit rating. It is this section that is given the most attention by creditors and lending agencies.

The most damaging types of derogatory credit information are bankruptcies and foreclosures. These items can be reported on your credit report for up to 10 years.

The second most damaging types of derogatory credit information are accounts that have gone to collections. Any account sent to collections affects your overall credit score in the worst way.

A collection account can stay on your credit report for seven years from the date of last activity In actual practice, collection accounts are often sold to another agency at the end of the seven year cycle, which creates another activity, which means the seven year reporting cycle starts all over again.

Other derogatory credit information in your credit report includes accounts that show a slow payment history and / or past due accounts. Unpaid student loans, judgments, and unpaid medical bills also show up here.