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Consumer Credit Protection Act: Congress passed these laws to protect you — the FCRA, FDCPA, CROA, ECOA and TILA are all part of it.
FCRA § 611: You have the right to dispute inaccurate or incomplete information, and the credit bureau generally must investigate within 30 days — free of charge.
FCRA § 605: Most negative information must come off your report after 7 years. Most bankruptcies: 10 years.
FCRA § 605B: Identity theft victims can have fraudulent accounts blocked from their credit reports.
FCRA § 612: You are entitled to free copies of your credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com.
FCRA § 615: If you are denied credit because of your report, you must be told and told which bureau was used.
FDCPA § 809: Dispute a debt in writing within 30 days and the collector must stop collecting until it verifies the debt.
FDCPA § 805: You can tell a debt collector in writing to stop contacting you.
FDCPA § 806–807: Debt collectors may not harass you, threaten you or lie to you.
CROA § 404: No credit repair company may charge you before its services are fully performed.
CROA § 407: You have 3 business days to cancel a credit repair contract without penalty.
ECOA: Creditors may not discriminate against you for race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age, or receiving public assistance.
TILA: Lenders must clearly disclose the true cost of credit — including the APR — before you sign.
SCRA: Active-duty servicemembers can cap interest at 6% on many debts taken on before service.

Consumer Credit Protection Act: Congress passed these laws to protect you — the FCRA, FDCPA, CROA, ECOA and TILA are all part of it.
FCRA § 611: You have the right to dispute inaccurate or incomplete information, and the credit bureau generally must investigate within 30 days — free of charge.
FCRA § 605: Most negative information must come off your report after 7 years. Most bankruptcies: 10 years.
FCRA § 605B: Identity theft victims can have fraudulent accounts blocked from their credit reports.
FCRA § 612: You are entitled to free copies of your credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com.
FCRA § 615: If you are denied credit because of your report, you must be told and told which bureau was used.
FDCPA § 809: Dispute a debt in writing within 30 days and the collector must stop collecting until it verifies the debt.
FDCPA § 805: You can tell a debt collector in writing to stop contacting you.
FDCPA § 806–807: Debt collectors may not harass you, threaten you or lie to you.
CROA § 404: No credit repair company may charge you before its services are fully performed.
CROA § 407: You have 3 business days to cancel a credit repair contract without penalty.
ECOA: Creditors may not discriminate against you for race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age, or receiving public assistance.
TILA: Lenders must clearly disclose the true cost of credit — including the APR — before you sign.
SCRA: Active-duty servicemembers can cap interest at 6% on many debts taken on before service.

Credit problems

Student Loans on Your Credit Report

Student loans come with their own rules — and some powerful ways to recover from default.

By Richie Barrett · Published September 26, 2026

Federal vs. private loans

Federal student loans are governed by the Higher Education Act and U.S. Department of Education rules, in addition to the FCRA. Private student loans work more like other consumer loans and are covered by the FCRA and state law. Knowing which kind you have is the first step.

Delinquency and default

Federal student loan servicers generally report a loan to the credit bureaus once it is 90 days past due. Most federal loans go into default after 270 days without payment, which can lead to collection, wage garnishment and offset of tax refunds.

Recovering from default

Loan rehabilitation: after a series of agreed, on-time monthly payments, the record of default is removed from your credit reports. Late payments reported before the default may remain. Rehabilitation is generally available once per loan.
Consolidation: can bring a defaulted loan back into good standing, though the default record may remain.

Discharges must be reported correctly

Loans forgiven or discharged — for example through Public Service Loan Forgiveness, total and permanent disability discharge, borrower defense or closed-school discharge — should be reported with a $0 balance and the correct status.

Student loan reporting errors

Late payments reported during an approved deferment, forbearance or payment pause
The same loan reported by an old and a new servicer, both with balances
A rehabilitated loan still showing the default
A discharged or forgiven loan showing a balance
Wrong balance after an income-driven repayment adjustment

Dispute errors with the bureaus and the servicer, and keep records of every payment and every approval letter.

Sources: Higher Education Act, 20 U.S.C. §§ 1078-6, 1080a; Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1681e(b), 1681i, 1681s-2.

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Common questions

Does rehabilitation remove late payments?

Rehabilitation removes the record of default. Late payments reported before the default can remain.

Who do I dispute with — the bureau or the servicer?

You can dispute with both. The servicer is the furnisher and has its own duty to investigate.

Know where to go — the credit bureaus and the agencies that protect you

Links go to each organization’s official website. Kaironeek Financial is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of them.