This has probably happened to all of us: you think a bill is unfair or outright wrong. For instance, there might be a mistake on the amount on your cell phone or medical bill and you refuse to pay it. Or, the rates spiked for your Internet service and you feel it’s flat-out unfair.
The thing is: even if you’re right, you are still responsible for making payments. If you don’t, you can wind up in collections, explains Gerri Detweiler, education director for Nav.
That’s when these bills can really damage your credit scores, says Detweiler.
“If you do (dispute a bill), keep a solid paper trail and make sure you don’t let it drag on too long,” she says.
Yet, what if a medical bill is legit and you simply can’t afford it? Detweiler suggests asking for a hardship discount or getting on a payment plan.
“If medical bills go unpaid — and unresolved — after six months, they may wind up on your credit reports as collection accounts,” she says.
