Now that we’ve all had plenty of fun throughout this summer, and the kids have gone back to school, September is a great time to regroup financially. One way to do that is to pull your FREE credit report to check for changes or inaccuracies.
You can pull a copy of your credit report from each of the three credit reporting agencies (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion). However, rather than pulling a report from all three bureaus at once, we recommend pulling one of the reports every four months - so January, April & September. This will help you keep a year-round eye on your credit report and catch potentially fraudulent activity sooner.
You can request a copy of your annual credit report in 1 of 3 ways:
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Online: visit http://www.annualcreditreport.com/
- By phone: call 877-322-8228
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By mail: print a request form and mail it to the address listed on the form
Review these four key areas of your credit report for accuracy:
1) Personal information
Your name, address history, social security number, date of birth and employment history.
2) Credit history
This is the largest section of your credit report and will contain information on all the credit accounts you've either opened or co-signed for, including accounts you've closed.
3) Credit report inquiries
Whenever someone inquiries about your credit, such as a landlord, lender, or insurance company, this information is recorded and remains on your report for up to two years.
4) Public records
Any public information, such as bankruptcy, late child support, or unpaid taxes, can stay on your credit report for up to 7 years.
Comb through each of these sections and make sure that all the information is correct. If you need assistance, contact us. We can assist you in reading your credit report, disputing any items, and provide advice for building or raising your credit score.
