Will paying off a collection account remove it from my credit report?

Not automatically — under most older scoring models, a paid collection can still sit on your report for the full seven years from the original delinquency, though it generally looks better marked 'paid' than left unpaid. The good news is newer FICO and VantageScore models ignore paid collections entirely, and as noted earlier, paid medical collections are removed and small unpaid medical collections no longer appear at all. So paying can help, but verify how it'll be reported first. Before sending money, get the agreement in writing, and you can try negotiating a 'pay-for-delete,' where the collector agrees to remove the entry in exchange for payment — though not all will agree and it's not guaranteed. Always confirm the debt is actually yours and within the statute of limitations before paying, since acknowledging old debt can restart the clock. Keep records of every payment and agreement.