How Long Before Credit Card Charge-Off? (120–180 Day Timeline)

A "charged-off" credit card means your lender gave up on collecting the debt after 120-180 days of missed payments and wrote it off as a loss-but here’s the kicker: you still owe the money. It’s like your bank saying, “We’re done chasing you,” but your credit report screams, “This person skipped out!” The charge-off stays on your report for seven years, tanking your score and making lenders side-eye you. And yes, even if you pay later, the mark sticks (just with a slightly less awful “paid” label).


The fallout? Your debt might get sold to collectors, who’ll hound you for payment. Want to avoid it? Act fast-pay the overdue balance or beg your lender for a payment plan before the charge-off hits. Once it’s on your report, focus on damage control: settle the debt to avoid collections, and check out 'how charge-offs hit your credit score' for next steps. Bottom line: a charge-off isn’t a free pass-it’s a financial scar.

A credit card charge-off typically happens after 180 days (six months) of missed payments, though some lenders pull the trigger at 120 days. Here’s how it unfolds: Miss your first payment, and you’ll get hit with a late fee-your account is now "30 days late." At 60 days, your credit score starts tanking, and the lender might call or send warnings. Hit 90 days, and your account is "seriously delinquent," with more aggressive collection attempts. By 120 days, some lenders charge off the debt, but most wait until 180 days.

Each month, the lender reports the delinquency to credit bureaus, stacking negative marks. Around 150 days, they’ll likely stop trying to collect and mark the account for charge-off. Once it’s charged off, the debt isn’t gone-it’s either sold to collections or kept in-house, and that nasty mark stays on your credit report for seven years. Some banks move faster if you’ve ignored all contact or have a history of missed payments.

If you’re close to the 180-day mark, act fast-paying the balance or negotiating a plan before charge-off can save your credit. Check out 'can you stop a charge-off last minute?' for tips. After charge-off, it’s harder to fix, but not impossible.

The difference between 120 and 180 days for charge-offs boils down to lender policies, account type, and regulatory rules. Credit cards usually hit charge-off at 180 days because that’s the standard under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, but some lenders-especially subprime or smaller issuers-pull the trigger at 120 days to cut losses faster. Think of it like this: a big bank might wait six months, while a high-risk lender won’t gamble past four.

Three things swing the timing: risk tolerance (lenders with stricter policies charge off sooner), debt type (personal loans often default to 120 days), and state laws (some states nudge lenders toward faster write-offs). If you’re wondering why your card got charged off at 120 days while your friend’s took 180, check your lender’s terms or dig into 'what triggers a faster charge-off?'. Either way, the clock starts at your first missed payment-so act fast.

Month 1: Missed Payment

The clock starts ticking the day you miss your first payment. Your lender reports the late payment to credit bureaus as "30 days late," and your credit score takes a hit-usually 60-110 points. You’ll get a late fee (around $30–$40) and a reminder call or email. Ignore this, and the next phase kicks in fast.

Month 2: Escalating Collection Efforts

At 60 days late, your credit report shows "60 days delinquent," and your score drops further. The lender ramps up calls, letters, or even texts demanding payment. Some may offer hardship plans-*if* you ask. Still no payment? They’ll start doubting you’ll pay at all.

Month 3: Serious Delinquency

Now it’s "90 days late," and your score plummets again. The lender may close your account, freeze your line of credit, or send your debt to an internal collections team. Late fees pile up, and interest keeps growing. This is your last chance to negotiate before things get ugly.

Month 4–6: Final Countdown to Charge-Off

By 120–180 days (depending on the lender), your account is flagged for charge-off. You’ll get a "final demand" notice, and the lender may sell your debt to a collections agency. Once charged off, the damage is done-but you still owe the debt. Check out 'what happens after your card is charged off' for what’s next.

A charge-off can happen faster than the usual 180 days if you completely ghost your lender-no payments, no communication, nada. Lenders see this as a red flag and may write off the debt sooner, especially if your account shows zero activity for months. For example, if you miss three straight payments without even a partial payment, they’ll assume you’ve abandoned the account. Bankruptcy filings also speed things up; once you file, creditors often charge off the debt immediately since they know collections are paused.

Another big trigger? Breaking a payment plan. If you negotiate lower monthly payments but then miss even one, the lender may ditch the agreement and fast-track the charge-off. High-risk accounts-like those already flagged for fraud or excessive spending-get scrutinized harder, too. Some issuers pull the plug at 120 days if they doubt you’ll ever pay. Want to avoid this? Check out 'can you stop a charge-off last minute?' for emergency fixes.

Yes, you can stop a charge-off last minute-but you need to act fast. A charge-off happens when your creditor gives up on collecting after 120–180 days of missed payments, marking your debt as a loss. It’s their last resort, but until it’s finalized, you still have a shot.

Call your creditor’s collections department immediately. Be direct: say you want to avoid charge-off and ask for options. Offer to pay the full overdue balance if you can-this is your best chance. If you can’t, propose a payment plan or lump-sum settlement (even 50–70% might work). Get any agreement in writing. If they agree, the charge-off won’t happen, but late payments will still hurt your credit. If it’s too late, check out 'can you negotiate with creditors after charge-off?' for next steps. Move now-every hour counts.

Being on a payment plan can pause or even prevent a charge-off-if you stick to the terms. Lenders often freeze the charge-off clock when you’re in an active, agreed-upon plan, meaning your account won’t hit that 180-day mark as long as you’re making payments. But miss a single payment or pay less than agreed? The clock resumes right where it left off. For example, if you’re 90 days delinquent when you start the plan, then skip a payment, you’ve got just 90 more days until charge-off.

Not all payment plans are created equal, though. Some lenders require full payment of overdue balances to avoid charge-off, while others accept partial payments. Always get the terms in writing and confirm whether the plan stops delinquency reporting to credit bureaus. Pro tip: Set up autopay for the plan to avoid slip-ups. If you’re unsure about your lender’s rules, check 'what triggers a faster charge-off?' for red flags.

After your card is charged off, the debt isn’t gone-it’s just written off as a loss by the lender. Your account is closed, but you still owe the money, and the charge-off shows up as a severe negative mark on your credit report for seven years. Worse, the debt often gets sold to a collection agency, adding another black mark to your file. Think of it like a double whammy: your credit score tanks, and now you’re dealing with aggressive collectors.

The lender or a third-party collector will hound you for payment, either by phone or mail. They might even sue you if the debt is large enough. Your credit report will show both the charge-off and any collection account, making it nearly impossible to get approved for new credit. If you ignore it, the damage lingers, but paying or settling can at least update the status to "paid" (though it stays on your report). Check 'how charge-offs hit your credit score' to see just how bad the drop can be.

You do have options. Negotiate a settlement for less than you owe, or set up a payment plan-just get everything in writing. Dispute errors if the reporting is wrong. And if the debt is old, check your state’s statute of limitations-they can’t sue you forever. It’s a mess, but you can dig out. Start with 'can you negotiate with creditors after charge-off?' for next steps.

A charge-off stays on your credit report for seven years from the date of the first missed payment that led to the delinquency-no matter what. Yeah, even if you pay it later.

The clock starts ticking the day your payment was due but never made, not when the lender officially charges it off (which happens around 120–180 days, as covered in 'typical charge-off timeline for credit cards'). Credit bureaus track this like hawks, so don’t expect it to vanish early. Exceptions? Rare. Some states have unique rules, but federal law (the Fair Credit Reporting Act) sets the seven-year standard.

What’s wild is that paying the debt won’t remove the charge-off-it’ll just update to "paid" (which might help your score slightly, as explained in 'paid vs. unpaid charge-off'). Collections? That’s another hit, but the original charge-off timeline still rules. Pro tip: Dispute errors fast. If the dates or details are wrong, you could get it removed sooner. Otherwise, buckle up-those seven years will feel long, but rebuilding credit is possible. Check out 'how charge-offs hit your credit score' for damage control.

A charge-off tanks your credit score because it tells lenders you didn’t pay a debt-and it sticks like glue. The second it hits your report, expect a 100+ point drop if your score was decent. It’s worse than late payments because it signals the lender gave up on you. The farther you were from the charge-off (like 180 days delinquent), the deeper the damage. Charge-offs stay for seven years, dragging down your score the entire time, though the impact lessens slightly after two years.

You can’t fully undo it, but paying the charge-off (see 'paid vs. unpaid charge-off') helps. Lenders might ignore unpaid ones, but a settled debt looks slightly better. If the debt goes to collections (check 'what if your debt goes to collections?'), that’s another negative mark-double trouble. The key? Avoid charge-offs by negotiating early (see 'can you stop a charge-off last minute?'). If it’s too late, focus on rebuilding with on-time payments and low credit utilization.

Paid vs. Unpaid Charge-Off: What’s The Difference?

A paid charge-off means you’ve settled the debt after your account was written off, while an unpaid charge-off means you still owe the money. Both hurt your credit, but lenders view them differently. Paid charge-offs show you took responsibility, which can slightly soften the blow-future creditors might see you as less risky. Unpaid charge-offs scream "unresolved debt," making lenders wary. Either way, the charge-off stays on your report for seven years (see 'how long charge-offs stay on your credit report'), but paying it stops collections and legal action.

Here’s the real-world impact: If you apply for a mortgage, a paid charge-off might get you approved with higher interest, while an unpaid one could flat-out disqualify you. Key differences:

• Credit impact: Both drop your score, but unpaid is worse.
• Collections: Unpaid debts often get sold, adding another negative mark.
• Future loans: Paid looks better, but neither is ideal.

Pay what you can, even if it’s late. Check 'can you negotiate with creditors after charge-off?' for tips on settling for less.

If your debt goes to collections, it means the original creditor sold it to a third-party agency-now you owe them, not the bank. This happens after charge-off (see 'what happens after your card is charged off'). Collections agencies will contact you aggressively, but you have rights. Here’s what to do:

• Don’t ignore them. Answer calls or letters to avoid lawsuits.
• Verify the debt. Demand a written validation letter within 30 days of first contact. No proof? They can’t collect.
• Check your credit report. Collections hurt your score, but errors can be disputed.

Negotiating is key. Agencies buy debt for pennies, so they’ll often settle for less. Offer 30–50% of the balance upfront (see 'can you negotiate with creditors after charge-off?'). Get any agreement in writing before paying. If they refuse, say you’ll report them for harassment-they’ll usually fold.

Collections stay on your credit for 7 years, but paying doesn’t remove the mark. Still, a paid collection looks better to lenders. Focus on rebuilding credit with secured cards or small loans. And if the statute of limitations is near (varies by state), sometimes waiting it out beats resetting the clock with a payment.

Yes, you can negotiate with creditors after a charge-off-but it’s harder and messier. Once your debt is charged off, the original lender may sell it to a collections agency or keep it in-house. Either way, they’re often willing to settle for less than you owe because some money beats no money. The catch? The charge-off stays on your credit report for seven years (see 'how long charge-offs stay on your credit report'), but paying or settling can stop collections and improve how lenders view your file.

Start by calling the creditor or collections agency-don’t wait for them to chase you. Offer a lump-sum payment (e.g., 30–50% of the debt) or a payment plan. Get any agreement in writing before sending money. Watch for zombie debt buyers: if the debt’s been sold multiple times, the latest owner might not have proof you owe it. Push for a "paid in full" or "settled" update to your credit report. Expect pushback, delays, or even mistakes-credit repair is a grind. Check 'what if your debt goes to collections?' for tactics if the debt’s already with a third party.