How to Write a Goodwill Letter to Remove a Late Payment

By Bryce Casson, Founder · Cardocrat · Updated June 2026

The short answer: A goodwill letter asks a creditor to remove an accurate but isolated late payment from your credit report as a one-time courtesy. It costs nothing, cannot hurt you, and sometimes works, best when you have a strong history and a clear one-off reason like an autopay glitch. Big banks often decline, citing accurate-reporting rules, but it is worth a polite ask, and preventing the next one with autopay is the real fix.

What a goodwill letter is, and is not

A goodwill letter is a polite request to your creditor, not the credit bureau, asking it to remove an accurate late payment as a one-time courtesy. The key word is accurate: if the late mark is wrong, you do not write a goodwill letter, you file a dispute, which the bureau must investigate. A late payment that really happened can legally stay on your report for seven years, and the creditor is under no obligation to remove it, so goodwill is a favor you are asking for, not a right you can demand. See how to dispute an error instead if the mark is inaccurate.

When it actually works

Your odds depend on the situation. Goodwill removals happen most often for an isolated late payment on an account with an otherwise strong history, paired with a clear, sympathetic reason, a medical emergency, a job loss, a move, or an autopay that failed. Smaller lenders, credit unions, and medical providers tend to be the most flexible. Large national banks, including Chase, have publicly said they generally do not make goodwill adjustments, citing their obligation to report accurately, though nothing stops them from removing a mark as a courtesy if they choose. Manage your expectations accordingly.

How to write one

Keep it short, polite, and accountable. Open by taking responsibility for the late payment rather than making excuses, briefly explain the one-time circumstance, and point to your otherwise solid history with the account. Then make a specific, courteous request to remove the late payment as a one-time goodwill adjustment. Include your name, account number, and the date of the late payment, and send it through the issuer secure message center or by mail. You do not need a paid service or a template, write it yourself, and if the first attempt is declined, a polite follow-up or a phone call sometimes reaches someone who can help.

If it does not work

If the creditor says no, you have not lost anything, and there are better long-term fixes. A single late payment fades in impact as it ages and drops off entirely after seven years, so the most powerful move is simply to keep everything else paid on time so the one mark is outweighed. Set up autopay for at least the minimum on every card to make sure it never happens again, which matters more than removing one old blemish. See how to build credit and managing utilization.

Frequently asked questions

Do goodwill letters work?

Sometimes. They work best for an isolated late payment on an account with a strong history and a clear one-time reason. Smaller lenders and credit unions are more flexible, while big banks like Chase often decline, citing accurate-reporting rules. It costs nothing and cannot hurt, so it is worth trying.

What is a goodwill letter?

A polite request to your creditor, not the credit bureau, asking it to remove an accurate but isolated late payment as a one-time courtesy. It is not a dispute, which is for inaccurate information, and the creditor is not required to grant it.

Will Chase remove a late payment with a goodwill letter?

Often no. Chase has publicly stated it generally does not make goodwill adjustments, citing its obligation to report accurately, though it could remove a mark as a courtesy if it chose to. Smaller lenders and credit unions tend to be more receptive than large national banks.

How long does a late payment stay on my credit report?

A legitimately reported late payment can stay for seven years from the date it occurred. Its impact fades as it ages, so keeping everything else paid on time, and using autopay to prevent another, usually matters more than getting one old mark removed.