There are several reasons an account may still appear on your credit report, even if you believe it has been paid off, closed, or should have been removed.

The most common reason is simply that the creditor hasn’t updated the credit bureaus yet. Most lenders report account information once each month, so changes can take 30 to 60 days to appear.

If the account has been paid but still shows a balance or past-due status, you should contact the creditor directly and ask when they expect to update the credit bureaus. They can usually tell you when their next reporting cycle occurs.

If you believe the information is inaccurate—for example, the account doesn’t belong to you, the balance is incorrect, or it should have been removed—you have the right to dispute the information with both the creditor and the credit bureau reporting the error.

As your mortgage lender, I don’t have the ability to change or remove items from your credit report because the information comes directly from the creditor. However, I’m happy to help you identify who is reporting the account and provide the creditor’s contact information so you know exactly who to call.

If you’re buying a home, don’t assume a credit report issue will resolve itself before closing. The sooner you investigate and address questionable accounts, the less likely they are to delay your loan approval.