abflex5

As long as you are seeking credit, i.e., loans, credit cards, etc., the hard inquiries will be on your credit report.

Debt to income ratio can have a dramatic effect on a seemingly good credit score.

It may improve your score, but double check with your loan officer--you might incur additional fees for early payoff on the loan.

I was in the same situation. I decided to settle--it's better than letting the credit remain unpaid. One year later I was finally able to begin rebuilding my credit (more responsibly, of course), and one year after that my credit score is 769. It can be done--good luck to you.

Agreed, but as far as car loans, be careful...if you go to different dealerships, they often report to different lending institutions, so these show up as individual inquiries...can be very bad for your credit.

I'm afraid that, although paying off the collections is a good step in the right direction, it will take time for your credit score to regain strength; think about 6 mos. Sorry, it's not what you want to hear, but good luck to you.

Typically, these are the inquiries that occur when you try to get financing for something. When you apply for credit, these can affect your credit negatively, if done excessively. Regardless, to find out who is making these inquiries, simply check your credit report.