Question
pay judgement or ignore?
should i pay off a judgement filed against me or simply ignore it for the 7 yrs it will stay there. Or can it extend its stay on a credit report? i am in the process of clearing up my credit and deciding between current credit card debt and this judgement as to which should get paid off first. Thanks! i am not disputing the judgement. will paying it off affect my credit?
1 month ago - 3 answers
Best Answer
Chosen by Asker
Weigh that very carefully and take a look at your state laws. A judgement is much more serious than just a small debt on your credit. Some states can attach or garnish your wages for serious issues such as a judgement. I would not take it lightly and do your homework before deciding.
by Nic
1 month ago
Asker's Rating: 
Other Answers
Congratulations on taking action to clean up your credit. In today's recession it is very difficult to get credit. Consumers with dinged credit are finding it difficult to get any get of new credit. You don't mention how long the judgment has been on your credit report, but it seems recent. In your case, you can do two things: 1. You can pay the judgment; but if you do, only do so with the promise (and get it in writing before you do anything) that you will pay it off ONLY if the creditor will have this item removed from your credit report. Most creditors are only interested in getting paid. If they refuse, then go to step 2, which is: 2. File a dispute with the credit reporting agency, that the judgment is not yours. Within 30 days, the creditor (or individual) who filed the judgment has to prove that the judgment against you is valid and binding. If they cannot prove that they have this judgment, then it has to be removed. This is under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. (FCRA). Now, if I were you, and you are still undecided, and want to keep your credit profile from getting any worse, continue to pay your credit cards and keep them current. It's bad enough that you have a judgment against you; you don't want your credit profile to get any worse by paying the judgment and not paying your credit cards. It will only hurt your credit profile. Good luck, I hope this gives you some information.
by Timmy- 1 month ago
Stay current on the credit card debt you have now, and use the rest of your money to pay the judgement as soon as possible. A judgement can turn into garnishment which looks very bad on your credit as well as potentially looking bad to your employer. Unfortunately the damage to your credit is already done.
by Elizabeth B- 1 month ago