Account Showing 90 Days Late

Mother and daughter relaxing in living room

Experian, TransUnion and Equifax now offer all U.S. consumers free weekly credit reports through AnnualCreditReport.com.

Dear Experian,

In what instance does a credit profile reflect a 90 day late when it never reflected a 30 or 60 day late? Is it possible to just be 90 days delinquent without first being 30 or 60?

- ADC

Dear ADC,

Most creditors will report an account as delinquent as soon as a payment is one full billing period late, which is typically 30 days. Some creditors, however, may only report a delinquency once it becomes more seriously past due.

This could benefit the consumer by giving them more time to bring their account current without having a negative mark on their credit history.

If an account is reporting that it is or was 90 days past due, it is implied that the account had been 30 and 60 days late prior to the 90 day past due status. The 90 day delinquency will score the same whether the progression is reported or not.

If you believe the information is inaccurate as reported, you may wish to contact the lender directly to discuss the issue. You can also contact Experian using the information provided on your personal credit report in order to file a dispute.

If you do not have a current copy of your personal report you can request one at Experian's Report Access. You can also request a free report once every 12 months at www.annualcreditreport.com.

Thanks for asking.
- The "Ask Experian" team