Depending on who you ask you get a different answer in regards to how long negative information stays on your credit report. So we did some research and here is what we found from Equifax (one of the largest 3 credit bureaus):

Nothing you do–even making payments–can affect the amount of time negative information stays on your credit reports.  In general, negative information that is more than 7 years old (10 years for bankruptcies) from date of last activity should not be present on your credit report. More specifically,

Negative Information from Credit Accounts (e.g. Credit Cards, Loans, etc.):

• Accounts not paid as agreed (e.g. charged-off accounts) generally remain on your credit file for a period of 7 years beginning 180 days after the date the account first became past due leading to the “not paid as agreed” status.
• Late Payment History generally remains on your credit file for 7 years.

Negative Information from Collection Accounts:

• Collection accounts generally remain on your credit file for a period of 7 years beginning 180 days after the date the original credit account first became past due.  When you do not pay a credit account as agreed, the account might get sold to collection agencies, which will cause collection accounts to appear on your credit reports.  However, collections, or anything else for that matter, should not impact the length of time negative information about this debt remains on your credit reports.  The negative information will remain for seven years and 180 days from the time you first became delinquent, no matter what.

Negative Information from Public Records:

• Judgments generally remain on your credit file for 7 years from the date filed, whether satisfied (paid) or not.
• Paid tax liens generally remain on your credit file for 7 years from the date released (paid).
• Unpaid tax liens generally remain on your credit file indefinitely.
• Civil suits remain on your credit file for 7 years.
• Arrest records remain on your credit file for 7 years.
• Information about criminal convictions may remain on your credit file indefinitely.

Negative Information from a Bankruptcy:

• A bankruptcy under chapter 7 or 11, or a non-discharged or dismissed chapter 13 bankruptcy generally remains on your credit file for 10 years from the date filed.
• A discharged chapter 13 bankruptcy generally remains on your credit file for 7 years from the date filed.

For New York State Residents Only (must be current resident):

• Satisfied judgments remain on your credit file for 5 years from the date filed.
• Paid collections remain on your credit file for 5 years from the date of last activity/date paid.

For California State Residents Only (must be current resident):

• Paid or released tax liens remain on your credit file for 7 years from the date released or 10 years from the date filed.
• Unpaid or unreleased tax liens remain on your credit file for 10 years from the file date.