A delinquent account is any account that is past due, meaning the borrower has broken the terms of their contract to pay the money back. Different levels of delinquency come with different consequences, such as late fees, APR penalties, and even legal action. A delinquent account might come with something as simple as a late fee or something as serious as losing your house or your car. Delinquent payments remain on your credit report for seven years from the original delinquency date, and even one 30-day late payment can damage your credit score. If youre having difficulty paying your bills, becoming current on your account can be challenging, but understanding how and when creditors report delinquencies and how they appear on your credit report can be helpful as you resolve the issue. If you notice a delinquent account on your credit report that shouldn’t be there, you can dispute credit report errors by contacting the bureaus.