Can paying off collections raise your credit score?

Yes. Paying off collections can raise your credit score. It depends on what type of credit score you or a prospective lender is looking at, though. Collection accounts stay on your three major credit reports for seven years (five for New York residents) from the date of your first missed payment. And most credit-score models consider them the whole time, no matter what you do. But the newest models are an exception:

• VantageScore 3.0 ignores any collection account (paid or unpaid) with a balance below $250.
• FICO Score 9 does not consider collection accounts with an original balance of less than $100 or any paid-off collection accounts.

Even with favorable credit-score treatment, your credit may not improve that much after paying off a collection account if you have numerous other negative records on your credit reports. In other words, the damage done by missed payments, delinquent/defaulted accounts, and other derogatory marks could put a cap on how much you can benefit. But if your credit history is otherwise clean, repaying your collection account could be a big help.

Finally, it’s worth noting one other way that paying off a collection account can help you, even though it’s not directly credit-related. Biting the bullet gets you out of dodge as far as a lawsuit is concerned. For more information, check out WalletHub’s Guide To Paying Debt In Collections. You can also track your credit for free on WalletHub, the only site with free scores and reports that are updated daily.

A collection account will remain on your credit reports for seven years and six months from the date you fell behind with the original creditor. Collection accounts are negative, regardless of whether they are paid or not. So the short answer is that no, paying off a collection account would not improve your credit score. 

However, it doesn't mean that you should not pay this collection account if you can. Paying the collection account may stop the creditor or collector from suing you, and a judgment on your credit report could hurt your credit report even more. Additionally, some mortgage lenders may require you to pay or settle collection accounts before giving you a loan.

Paying off the debt in collections alone will not improve your credit score. You must also have it removed from your credit report.

Not by much as far as your score goes, but it shows any future lenders that you're able to take responsibility for past mistakes.