well, you can pay off your debts too the collection agency and not the company. your credit report will change but it will still say collection. At the status of it will say paid in full which will be a positive for you on your report. it will not come off until 2 years

well when you pay it off to the collector it comes off your credit report. now if you repay that amount they will send the money back to you.

STOP right there!!!!!!

DON’T pay the debts until you pay off the collection agency first! That debt was sold (for a price, by the way).

If you have the money, AFTER the collection agency has been paid, and you feel this need to make things “right”, then you can pay the companies the money you “owe” them.

In time, if you suddenly became financially responsible (unlikely) the credit report will eventually (years) repair itself.

They’ve probably already written it off if its very old.

I’d get a letter from them showing that you’ve paid. Also send whatever info you have showing payment to the collection agencies.

It takes 7 years for bad marks on your credit report to go away. Your credit report will eventually show paid with however many months/years of non-payment– I’d press them to do this but they should do it by themselves.