What Is a Goodwill Deletion?

A goodwill deletion is when a creditor voluntarily removes accurate negative information from your credit report as a courtesy - not because they have to, but because you asked nicely and gave them a good reason. It works best for:

  • One or two isolated late payments on an otherwise perfect account
  • Late payments during a documented hardship (illness, job loss, COVID)
  • Long-standing customer relationships
  • Accounts that are now fully paid and current

It does NOT work well for accounts with multiple late payments, charge-offs, collections, or delinquent accounts. And it almost never works with major credit card issuers like Chase, Amex, or Capital One, who have formal policies against it.

Who Actually Does Goodwill Deletions?

Best candidates for goodwill deletions:

  • Credit unions: Member-focused, relationship-based, more likely to help a long-term member
  • Small local banks: More discretion than national banks
  • Store credit cards: Often more flexible than major bank cards
  • Medical providers: Less concerned with credit reporting than recovering payment
  • Utility companies: Especially after a short-term hardship

Unlikely to work: Chase, Citibank, Bank of America, Capital One, Discover, American Express. These institutions have formal "we report accurately" policies and their customer service reps can't override them.

The Goodwill Deletion Letter Template

[Date] [Your Name] [Address] [City, State ZIP] [Creditor Name] Customer Relations / Credit Department [Address] Re: Goodwill Adjustment Request Account Number: [XXXXXXXXX] Dear Customer Relations Team: I have been a customer of [Creditor Name] since [year] and have always valued our relationship. I am writing to respectfully request a goodwill adjustment to my credit report. In [month/year], I made a late payment on my account. At that time, I was experiencing [brief hardship explanation: job loss / medical emergency / family crisis / financial hardship]. I take full responsibility for this late payment and understand that it was my obligation to maintain current payments regardless of my circumstances. Since that time, I have [brought my account current / paid off the balance in full] and have maintained an excellent payment history. I have been a loyal customer for [X] years and this [is/was] my only late payment. I am writing to ask if you would consider removing the late payment notation from my credit report as a goodwill gesture. This mark is affecting my ability to [qualify for a mortgage / refinance / obtain the best rates on future credit], and removing it would make a significant difference. I understand this is not something you are required to do, and I genuinely appreciate any consideration you can give. I remain committed to being a responsible borrower and a loyal customer. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, [Your Signature] [Your Name] [Phone Number] [Email Address]

Tips for Making It Work

  • Send to the right address. Address it to "Customer Relations" or "Credit Department" - not a collections department. Some creditors have executive customer service teams that handle these.
  • Be genuinely human. The best goodwill letters sound like they came from a real person with a real situation, not a template. Customize the hardship explanation with specifics.
  • Don't cite legal rights. This is a courtesy request, not a dispute. Citing the FCRA or FDCPA signals you think you have a legal claim - which you don't. Keep it personal and respectful.
  • Send certified mail. Creates a paper trail and shows you're serious.
  • Follow up once. If you don't hear back in 30 days, send one follow-up. Don't pester.
  • Try multiple channels. Some people have success escalating to the executive customer service team or CEO's office via LinkedIn after an initial rejection from standard customer service.

What If They Say No?

A rejection is common. Your options after rejection:

  1. Try a different contact within the company. Customer service reps may say no; their supervisor, or the executive relations team, may say yes.
  2. Dispute inaccurate details. If any element of the late payment entry is inaccurate (wrong date, wrong amount, wrong account status), you have a legal right to dispute that inaccuracy - which is different from a goodwill request.
  3. Wait it out. Late payments fall off credit reports after 7 years. If the late payment is 5+ years old, it has diminishing impact anyway, and will disappear naturally.
  4. Improve other factors. Late payments matter less when the rest of your credit profile is strong. Pay down balances, maintain zero new late payments, and add positive accounts.

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FAQ

No. Removing a negative item from your credit report can only help your score, not hurt it. The worst case is the creditor says no and nothing changes. Goodwill deletions don't have a downside risk.

It depends on your overall profile. One recent 30-day late payment might drop a score 50-100 points and removing it could restore most of that. An old late payment (5+ years) has much less impact and removing it may only improve the score by 5-15 points. The more recent the mark and the stronger your other credit factors, the bigger the impact of removal.

Goodwill deletion is primarily for original creditors and late payment history. For collection accounts, pay-for-delete (negotiating deletion as a condition of payment) is more appropriate - and more likely to work, since collectors are more motivated by getting paid. See the pay-for-delete guide for that process.

After. Goodwill deletion requests only make sense once the account is paid and current. If you haven't paid yet, use pay-for-delete instead (pay in exchange for deletion as a negotiated condition). Once you've paid without a deletion agreement, goodwill is your main option.