How a Charge-Off Affects Your Credit Score
A charge-off is a significant negative mark on your credit report — but its exact effect varies by your starting score and overall credit profile.
General Impact
The higher your credit score before the charge-off, the larger the point drop tends to be — since scoring models weight a serious negative mark more heavily against an otherwise strong history. We don't cite a guaranteed point figure here, since actual impact varies by individual profile.
How Long the Impact Lingers vs. How Long It Appears
A charge-off generally stays on your report for up to 7 years, but its actual drag on your score typically lessens over time — often meaningfully — even before it fully ages off, especially as you add positive payment history elsewhere.
Recovery Steps
Focus on consistent on-time payments on your remaining accounts and keeping credit utilization low. See our Credit Scores guide for the full breakdown of what factors matter most.
Results vary based on individual circumstances. This information is educational and not a guarantee of outcome. Consult a credit counselor or attorney for advice specific to your situation.