DOFD
the date that starts the 7-year reporting clock.DOFD (date of first delinquency) is the date on which an account first became 30 days past due that ultimately led to its current negative status. Under FCRA Section 605, this is the date from which the 7-year reporting clock is measured for collections, charge-offs, and most other derogatory items. It is not the date the account was opened. It is not the date the debt was sold to a collector. It is not the date the collector first started reporting. It is the date of the first missed payment that started the chain.
Why it matters
Why DOFD is the most important date on a credit report.
The 7-year reporting window in FCRA §605 is the legal limit on how long most negative items can appear on a consumer credit report. The clock runs from DOFD. A collection account from a debt that first went delinquent in March 2017 must come off the report no later than March 2024, regardless of when the collection was opened, when the debt was sold, or whether payments have since been made.
When a furnisher reports the DOFD incorrectly, the reporting clock is calculated from the wrong starting point. An incorrectly late DOFD keeps the negative item on the report for longer than the law permits. This is one of the most common Metro 2 violations on consumer files.
Common DOFD problems
Common DOFD problems worth disputing.
- Missing DOFD. Required for any account with negative status. Without it, the 7-year reporting clock cannot be calculated and the entry is incomplete by definition.
- Re-aged DOFD. A debt buyer reporting the date of acquisition as the date of first delinquency, restarting the clock. This is called re-aging and is prohibited under FCRA.
- Inconsistent DOFD across bureaus. The same account showing different DOFDs on Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Cross-bureau inconsistency is itself grounds for dispute.
- DOFD after the activity date. A DOFD that postdates collection activity, payments, or the original delinquency. Internal inconsistency that fails the FCRA accuracy standard.
Related
Related concepts.
DOFD problems are disputed under FCRA §611 with the bureau and FCRA §623 with the furnisher. The underlying remedies are described in our methodology reference.
DOFD (date of first delinquency) is the date on which an account first became 30 days past due that ultimately led to its current negative status. Under FCRA Section 605, this is the date from which the 7-year reporting clock is measured for collections, charge-offs, and most other derogatory items. It is not the date the account was opened. It is not the date the debt was sold to a collector. It is not the date the collector first started reporting. It is the date of the first missed payment that started the chain.
Why it matters
Why DOFD is the most important date on a credit report.
The 7-year reporting window in FCRA §605 is the legal limit on how long most negative items can appear on a consumer credit report. The clock runs from DOFD. A collection account from a debt that first went delinquent in March 2017 must come off the report no later than March 2024, regardless of when the collection was opened, when the debt was sold, or whether payments have since been made.
When a furnisher reports the DOFD incorrectly, the reporting clock is calculated from the wrong starting point. An incorrectly late DOFD keeps the negative item on the report for longer than the law permits. This is one of the most common Metro 2 violations on consumer files.
Common DOFD problems
Common DOFD problems worth disputing.
- Missing DOFD. Required for any account with negative status. Without it, the 7-year reporting clock cannot be calculated and the entry is incomplete by definition.
- Re-aged DOFD. A debt buyer reporting the date of acquisition as the date of first delinquency, restarting the clock. This is called re-aging and is prohibited under FCRA.
- Inconsistent DOFD across bureaus. The same account showing different DOFDs on Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Cross-bureau inconsistency is itself grounds for dispute.
- DOFD after the activity date. A DOFD that postdates collection activity, payments, or the original delinquency. Internal inconsistency that fails the FCRA accuracy standard.
Related
Related concepts.
DOFD problems are disputed under FCRA §611 with the bureau and FCRA §623 with the furnisher. The underlying remedies are described in our methodology reference.
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