Can Lexington Law Improve FICO Score (Fair Isaac)?

Lexington Law can potentially raise your FICO score, but only if it succeeds in deleting inaccurate, outdated, or unverified items; it cannot improve scores that are already based on correct data. Success depends on the nature of the negative entries, how they affect the five FICO factors, and whether the disputes meet credit‑bureau standards.

• Removal of truly erroneous marks (e.g., wrong balances, mistaken late reports) may add 20 - 50 points.
• Deleting outdated collections or charged‑off accounts can lift utilization or length‑of‑credit averages, sometimes yielding 30 - 70 points.
• Accurate negatives (true late payments, repossessions, bankruptcies) remain on the report, so the FICO score may stay unchanged.
• The impact varies by individual profile; a thin file may see larger swings than a long‑standing, high‑balance file.
• how FICO scores are calculated clarifies why only certain deletions translate into score gains.

Once you hire Lexington Law, they take over the entire dispute workflow, from data collection to final follow‑up, aiming to improve your FICO score.

1. Client portal onboarding - You receive a secure login, upload your credit reports, and answer a brief questionnaire about recent inquiries, collections, and any identity‑theft concerns.
2. Attorney review - A licensed attorney scans each negative item, determines which entries violate the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and flags those that are potentially removable.
3. Customized dispute letters - The firm drafts and sends formal dispute letters to the three major bureaus and each creditor, citing specific legal provisions and requesting deletion or verification.
4. Monitoring and escalation - Within 30 days the bureaus must respond. Lexington Law tracks every reply, files a second‑level dispute or a 're‑investigation' if the first attempt fails, and may request documentation from the creditor.
5. Result reporting - After the 90‑day cycle, you get an updated credit file summary showing which items were removed, partially updated, or left unchanged; the portal also predicts any likely impact on your FICO score based on historical outcomes.

These steps set the stage for the 'typical FICO gains and realistic timelines' section that follows.

Lexington Law can raise a FICO score, but the amount and timing depend on what items can be removed. Most clients see 20‑50 points within three to six months, with slower gains after that.

• Removing inaccurate negatives may add 20‑40 points within the first 30‑60 days.
• Deleting late‑payment entries often yields 30‑60 points after 2‑4 months.
• Clearing charged‑off or collection accounts can bring 40‑70 points, usually visible by month 4‑6.
• After viable items are gone, growth typically plateaus; expect 5‑15 extra points over the next 6‑12 months from better utilization and payment history.
• Occasionally, new negatives appear during the dispute window, which can offset gains temporarily and extend the timeline to 9‑12 months before net improvement.

Lexington Law charges a monthly subscription plus a one‑time setup fee, and you'll see results only after several months of disputes.

Typical fees

• $79 initial processing charge (one‑time)
• Monthly plans range from $89.85 for the 'Standard' tier to $129.85 for 'Premium' (both require a 6‑month minimum)
• Optional add‑ons (e.g., 'Credit Monitoring') add $5 - $10 per month
• Cancellation before the contract ends may incur a $50 early‑termination fee

When the cost can be justified

• Your FICO score sits below 620 and you have multiple inaccurate or outdated negatives; a 20‑to‑50‑point boost could qualify you for a lower auto‑loan rate or mortgage, saving hundreds of dollars over the loan term.
• You lack time or expertise to file 150+ dispute letters yourself; Lexington Law's team handles paperwork, follow‑ups, and legal language.
• You have a short‑term financing need (e.g., a car purchase in the next 6‑12 months) and the potential FICO improvement outweighs the subscription expense.
• Your credit profile includes items that are likely disputable (billing errors, incorrect late‑payment dates, or duplicated accounts); professional disputes raise the success odds compared with DIY attempts.

If you have a clean credit history, only minor inaccuracies, or expect less than a 10‑point FICO lift, the subscription cost usually exceeds the benefit. In those cases, the next section shows how DIY dispute methods can achieve similar outcomes for free or at a fraction of the price.

Lexington Law's dispute process typically delivers faster, higher‑impact results than most DIY attempts. The firm assigns a licensed attorney to each case, files up to three disputes per month on your behalf, and follows up with creditors until a response arrives or the reporting period ends. This structured cadence often clears inaccurate negatives within 30‑90 days, which can translate into a 20‑50 point FICO score lift if the items are removed.

DIY disputes rely on you to draft letters, send certified mail, and track every creditor's deadline. You can file the same number of disputes, but you must manage follow‑ups, handle re‑uploads of evidence, and risk missing the 30‑day response window. Without legal backing, creditors may be less responsive, and the process can stretch beyond six months, limiting the speed and magnitude of any FICO score improvement.

Before you spend money on Lexington Law, try these five DIY moves that may lift your FICO score. They cost little, rely on rights you already have, and often resolve the most common issues that drag scores down.

1. Obtain your free reports from the three bureaus at annualcreditreport.com, scan them for errors, and file online disputes. Correcting a single inaccuracy can add roughly 10‑20 points within 30 days.
2. Reduce credit‑card balances to below 30 percent of each limit; for example, a $2,000 balance on a $5,000 limit should be cut to $1,500 or less. Lower utilization typically yields 5‑15 points.
3. Set up automatic on‑time payments for at least one year. Consistent payment history accounts for 35 percent of the FICO algorithm and may boost the score by 5‑10 points.
4. Request removal of duplicate or outdated hard inquiries older than two years. Each deleted inquiry can contribute a modest gain.
5. Negotiate a 'pay‑for‑delete' with small‑balance collection agencies, secure a written agreement, and pay only after the agency confirms removal. Successful deletions may raise the FICO score by up to 20 points.

• Guarantees a specific FICO score increase within days. No law permits that; results may vary and depend on your file.
• Claims it can delete accurate negative items. Accurate negatives are protected; only errors can be removed.
• Requires an upfront 'pay‑now, get results later' fee. Legit services charge monthly as work progresses.
• Promises a jump of 100+ points instantly. Typical gains are 20‑50 points over several months.
• Offers an unconditional money‑back guarantee if the FICO score doesn't rise. Refunds depend on contract terms and are rarely unconditional.

Removing an item from your report does not automatically lift your FICO score because the score's five‑factor model weighs each piece of data differently. If the deleted entry represents only a small slice of payment history or credit utilization, the net impact may be negligible, especially when newer, higher‑weight items dominate the calculation.

In addition, deleting a negative can shorten the average age of your accounts or erase a paid‑off collection that was already reporting a zero balance, both of which can temporarily offset any gain. Some scoring algorithms also retain information from other data sources, so the underlying risk profile may remain largely unchanged even after the item disappears.

Lexington Law can only dispute information that is inaccurate or unverifiable, so if a negative entry is correct they cannot delete it and the FICO score may stay the same. In those cases the firm's work focuses on other tradelines or on ensuring the accurate entry is reported properly.

• Double‑check the entry; if it truly reflects your history, no dispute will succeed.
• Pay down the underlying debt; a lower balance can improve utilization and lift the FICO score even though the negative remains.
• Let the account age; most accurate negatives lose impact after seven years, after which they drop off automatically.
• Add positive activity, such as on‑time payments and new credit lines, to outweigh the negative.
• Try DIY credit‑building steps (budgeting, secured cards, authorized user status) before spending on a service that can't remove the accurate mark.

Lexington Law addresses identity‑theft claims by filing the required paperwork and disputing fraudulent items to help restore your FICO score.

• They guide you through the FTC Identity Theft Report and the Identity Theft Affidavit, then submit both to the three major bureaus.
• They place a fraud alert or credit freeze, which forces lenders to verify your identity before opening new accounts.
• They dispute each unauthorized account, collection, and inquiry, citing the FTC report and any supporting documentation you provide.
• They monitor the bureaus' responses, follow up on unresolved items, and request removal of any inaccurate negatives that remain.

By handling these steps, Lexington Law may accelerate the clearing of fraudulent entries, which can gradually lift your FICO score once the false data disappears. This process ties directly into the dispute workflow described earlier and sets the stage for the 'when Lexington Law can't help' scenarios discussed later.