My credit score dropped 105 points, from excellent to good. UPDATE in later post.

[mjkacmom]

Apparently i didn’t get a $35 target bill and it was due less than a week ago. After spending hours trying to find a phone number that led to an actual person (plus 3 chats), I had the fees removed ($18). I can’t believe how dinged my score got over $35! I’ve never been below 800! Is this normal?

 

[happily single]

I am so sorry this happened. If it wasn't over 30 days late you should not see any change to your credit score. I would contact someone in the credit depart of Target and ask them to remove it. You can also file a dispute with the credit bureaus.

Many many years ago I paid my $50.00 student loan late. I made the payment via mail, told you it was a while ago, then received an email that the payment was late. Thinking the payment and email just "got crossed" I ignored it. I should add that I made ONE payment, I never realized that it encompassed 13 student loans, because you take out several per semester. It dropped my score by 155 points!!!! I have begged, pleaded, disputed, anything and everything you can think of and no one will do anything! To this day it still shows I was late times 13! Luckily my score has recovered, but man!

 

[HeatherC]

It will probably go back up next month. I wouldn’t worry about it unless you are planning to finance something in the near future.

 

[VeryCurious]

Apparently i didn’t get a $35 target bill and it was due less than a week ago. After spending hours trying to find a phone number that led to an actual person (plus 3 chats), I had the fees removed ($18). I can’t believe how dinged my score got over $35! I’ve never been below 800! Is this normal?

I am so sorry this happened. If it wasn't over 30 days late you should not see any change to your credit score. I would contact someone in the credit depart of Target and ask them to remove it. You can also file a dispute with the credit bureaus.

Many many years ago I paid my $50.00 student loan late. I made the payment via mail, told you it was a while ago, then received an email that the payment was late. Thinking the payment and email just "got crossed" I ignored it. I should add that I made ONE payment, I never realized that it encompassed 13 student loans, because you take out several per semester. It dropped my score by 155 points!!!! I have begged, pleaded, disputed, anything and everything you can think of and no one will do anything! To this day it still shows I was late times 13! Luckily my score has recovered, but man!

Oh wow! Sorry. But thanks for sharing.

 

[mjkacmom]

I recently put my kohls card on autopay for this reason, having post office issues and my email gets so much spam I miss stuff, I’ll do the same with target, visa is autopay plus most other bills. The last time I got dinged was when I signed up for a PINK credit card to get free shipping around Christmas, it came after Christmas so did me no good. We do co-sign student loans.

 

[slo]

I recently put my kohls card on autopay for this reason, having post office issues and my email gets so much spam I miss stuff, I’ll do the same with target, visa is autopay plus most other bills. The last time I got dinged was when I signed up for a PINK credit card to get free shipping around Christmas, it came after Christmas so did me no good. We do co-sign student loans.

Ugghh…..sorry this happened - it really stinks how your score can go down in a flash and then take forever to go back.

I have everything on autopay because something similar happened to me years ago. With everything on auto pay I have peace of mind knowing that if something happens to me and I can’t pay the bills (I’m the family accountant - LOL) then my DH or DD19 don’t need to worry about anything.

Good luck - I hope your score goes back up soon.

 

[kdonnel]

Apparently i didn’t get a $35 target bill and it was due less than a week ago. After spending hours trying to find a phone number that led to an actual person (plus 3 chats), I had the fees removed ($18). I can’t believe how dinged my score got over $35! I’ve never been below 800! Is this normal?

Is this your FICO or VantageScore score?

The VantageScore is really not used for anything of value and can be ignored.

 

[mjkacmom]

Is this your FICO or VantageScore score?

The VantageScore is really not used for anything of value and can be ignored.

Thank you! So I looked up FICO and I have two 850’s and a 835, I’m so relieved. All remaining bills will be autopay if that’s an option. The vantagescore is on my checking account, I was zelleing my sister when I saw it. Thank goodness though because I wouldn’t have realized I didn’t pay that Target bill.

 

[Pink Partridge]

Apparently i didn’t get a $35 target bill and it was due less than a week ago. After spending hours trying to find a phone number that led to an actual person (plus 3 chats), I had the fees removed ($18). I can’t believe how dinged my score got over $35! I’ve never been below 800! Is this normal?

That really stinks. So sorry this happened to you.

 

[QueenIsabella]

When we first moved to North Carolina, there was a glitch in the mail forwarding. When I eventually straightened it out--it required me to call back to New Hampshire and talk to an actual person--all my bills were late. ALL of them! I was mortified! I called every company and sent checks promptly--every single company waived the late fees, and my credit score was fine afterwards. I think it helped that I had clear records with every company, showing that I was, in fact, a customer who normally paid on time (and had given a new address, to boot).

All was well, but it was horrible in the moment.

 

[china mom]

I keep an eye on my score as a weird hobby and am always trying to keep it above a certain number as my weird way of challenging myself even though it is always way above the line that is considered "excellent" But I did have a very unfair dip not too long ago (before the interest rates shot up). I will use made-up numbers for an easy example.

My original mortgage was $300K
My home value is $400K so plenty of equity which should equal low risk
I had paid the loan down to $250K so my debt to available balance was great.
I refinanced for a lower interest rate without taking cash out so the new loan amount is $250K and I owe $250K so it looks like I am borrowing the full value amount of a new loan (well, it is a new loan)

So, using the above scenario, my credit score would have dipped a little. Well, that was the year I decided to sell/buy a house and refinance four other houses all within 18 months. So, here I suddenly look like I am leveraged to the hilt but I am actually sitting on a ton of equity. Looking at my credit score hurt for a while. But I am happy to say it is back up.

 

[GAN]

Apparently i didn’t get a $35 target bill and it was due less than a week ago. After spending hours trying to find a phone number that led to an actual person (plus 3 chats), I had the fees removed ($18). I can’t believe how dinged my score got over $35! I’ve never been below 800! Is this normal?

I’m guilty as anyone for watching my credit score…. But in reality, what difference does it make if you aren’t making a major purchase in the next 6-months. I’d just keep doing what you’re doing and before you know it you’ll be back up there. I‘d try to not give it a second thought….

 

[mikehn]

Yeah I dont get why people are so obsessed with their credit score. I get that everyone wants the best lending terms, but otherwise, who cares.

 

[White Cat]

Yeah I dont get why people are so obsessed with their credit score. I get that everyone wants the best lending terms, but otherwise, who cares.

I don’t get why anyone would be obsessed with anything.

But as far as caring about ones credit score, responsible people care.

 

[mjkacmom]

We still have 2 kids in undergrad (3 college graduates, 1 is in grad school), and we co-sign loans.