Hey there everybody! I've been browsing around for a bit and after reading some topics I just want to clarify and get some insight on my situation. I reside in Nevada if that helps with any specific laws or guidelines. I appreciate any advice in advance. So when I was 17, I had a dental procedure done that resulted in a total of about $500. At the time, my mother was definitely present and signed and took consent for all of the work that was done. She clearly stated that she did not have the funds at the time and the dentist acknowledged that. It was only a crown so they just said, "Well it's here...we might as well finish it." So okay, they billed my mom for it. So obviously, every single statement that was received in the mail was in HER name... Fast forward to today... I am 19, living on my own, and have a few accounts open. I have been a member of Experian's free credit report service for about a year, so I have been able to keep track of my CR. As of my April 25th CR, I had no delinquencies and my FICO was about 730. I pull up my May report and I have a new collections account under "Medicredit Corporation" and it is reported as being opened in February on a 1 month term. Additionally, my FICO dipped all the way down to 529 (this number alone almost made me drive to this agency immediately since they reside a state away ) The account originated from my dentist, according to Experian's online dispute site. I did not dispute it just yet though. I want to call them and they are closed on weekends, so I plan on calling tomorrow morning. So my assumptions after browsing around the board, please correct me if I'm wrong: 1. Since I was a minor at the time of billing, I can not be liable for the collections account. 2. I was not ONCE notified of the account. I never received any letters or phone calls regarding the matter, so since I was not offered the chance to pay the account, I'm not liable. 3. Technically, the account is in my mother's name ONLY, so once again, I'm not liable. I'm just wondering how it ended up being reported against me now... it doesn't add up. Thanks for reading and hopefully you guys can help!
If you were a minor and your legal guardian signed to pay on your behalf, then my understanding is your guardian would be liable for this debt. Whether or not you ever received a bill doesn't make any difference, but the fact that you were a minor certainly does. It shouldn't be showing up on your credit reports.
