Questions and Answers

I thank you for your many articles about how credit scores are computed. I don’t recall, however, seeing any discussion about how an unpaid bill (e.g., doctor’s bill) impacts a credit score. Let’s say, for example, a person doesn’t pay a doctor’s bill and it is turned over to collections.
1 Do bills turned over to collections get reported to the credit bureaus?
2 Do bills turned over to collections that get reported to the credit bureaus factor into the consumer’s credit score?
3 If the answer to questions 1 and 2 is yes, if the consumer disputes the bill and notifies the credit bureau of the dispute, do the credit bureaus take the dispute into account?

I ask because I’m sure others are interested and I often just pay bills to avoid collections and any negative impact on my credit score.

Thanks, Mark

Mark, according to this, it seems that typically yes, collections are reported. But, disputes can get it removed.

[URL]https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/credit-education/report-basics/how-and-when-collections-are-removed-from-a-credit-report/[/URL]