Glossary
Words the report actually uses.
Short definitions so marketing and the portal speak the same language. Education only — not legal advice, not score promises.
Prefer deeper essays? Start in the Resources hub or jump to consumer rights.
- Charge-off
- An account a creditor wrote off as a loss for accounting.
- A charge-off does not mean the debt vanished. It is an accounting status that can still appear on a credit report and may still be collectible depending on the situation.
- Charge-offs explained →
- Collection
- An account placed with a collection agency or department.
- Collections can appear as their own trade-lines. Status, balance, and dates matter — educational reading first, then a plan that fits the facts.
- Collections on your credit report →
- Credit bureau
- A company that assembles consumer credit reports.
- Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion are the three nationwide consumer reporting agencies most people mean by “the bureaus.” Each may show different details.
- Three-bureau basics →
- CROA
- Credit Repair Organizations Act — consumer contract rights.
- CROA includes disclosures and a right to cancel certain credit-repair contracts within three business days. Full contract disclosures come before paid enrollment.
- Deletion
- Removal of an item from a credit report after investigation.
- Deletion can happen when information cannot be verified — it is never guaranteed in advance. Marketing that promises deletions is a red flag.
- Dispute
- A request to investigate information on a credit report.
- You can dispute inaccurate information with the bureaus at no cost. A supervised program adds workflow and paper trail — it does not replace your rights.
- How disputes actually move →
- FCRA
- Fair Credit Reporting Act — federal credit report rights.
- The FCRA is the main federal law governing credit reporting accuracy, access, and dispute rights. This site explains concepts educationally — not as legal advice.
- Consumer rights hub →
- FDCPA
- Fair Debt Collection Practices Act — collection conduct rules.
- The FDCPA sets rules for how third-party collectors may communicate and collect. Knowing the basics helps you document what happens — education, not a lawsuit script.
- Consumer rights hub →
- Furnisher
- The company that reports account data to the bureaus.
- Banks, lenders, and collectors are common furnishers. Disputes can involve both the bureau and the furnisher when the facts support it.
- Inquiry
- A recorded pull of your credit report.
- Hard inquiries usually follow a credit application. Soft inquiries are often account reviews or your own pulls. Neither is a debt — they are history of who looked.
- OTP
- One-time passcode sent to your email to sign in.
- NewLeaf’s customer portal uses email OTP — continue with email, enter the code, no password to manage.
- First week in the portal →
- Reinvestigation
- The bureau’s investigation after a dispute.
- Under the FCRA, bureaus generally have a timed window to investigate disputes. Outcomes vary — verified, updated, or deleted — case by case.
- FCRA clocks explained →
- Trade-line
- One account as it appears on a credit report.
- A trade-line is a single account entry — creditor name, balances, dates, and status as reported. Reading trade-lines carefully is how you spot mismatches before you dispute.
- Reading your credit report →
- Utilization
- Balances relative to credit limits.
- Utilization describes how much of available revolving credit is in use. It is a lever you control over time — not a magic percentage that guarantees a score change.
- Utilization without the myth →
How we’re structured · plain English
Clear about what NewLeaf is — and isn’t.
FinTech SaaS
NewLeaf is a financial technology company. Subscription covers software to read your credit report, track disputes, log creditor communications, and learn your rights — plus live guidance 24/7.
Settlements
NewLeaf is not a debt settlement company and does not settle debts as your settlement provider. You can negotiate with creditors through the app when that path fits. Larger cases may be referred to independent partners — partners may charge their own fees. NewLeaf does not collect a fee based on the amount of debt settled or the amount saved.
Banking
NewLeaf is not a bank and does not take deposits. Any financing or banking services, when available, come from separate partners under their own terms.
$100 satisfaction
Paid programs include a $100 satisfaction guarantee / refund under the enrollment window in your Service Agreement. It does not promise score changes, deletions, or settlements.
Support · 24/7 channels
One call, one text, one email, or one click — support channels are available around the clock for billing questions and account help.
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