Check your credit report
June 21, 2010
How long has it been since you’ve checked your credit report? If the answer is either: A) Over a year; or B) Never; then you should check your credit report now.
There are three credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. The best place to get your credit report from all three bureaus is through www.annualcreditreport.com. This site will allow you to check your credit reports for free.
Make sure all of the information in your credit reports is accurate. In addition to your personal information, look at all of your credit accounts to ensure they all belong to you and that the reported payment history is correct. If you notice any mistakes, you can file a correction with the credit bureau right from the web site.
You are entitled to a free copy of your credit report from each of the three bureaus once every 12 months. If you’ve never checked your credit report, or it’s been a very long time, review all three reports. Once 12 months has passed, you can create your own credit monitoring service of sorts. Get one report. Then wait several months and get your report from another bureau. Wait a few more months to get your report from the third bureau. After a few more months you’ll be eligible to receive a free credit report from the first bureau you started with. If you continue to do this, you can always keep an eye on your credit.
Remember that your credit score is not included in your free credit report. You will have the option to buy your score, though if you’re not planning on making a big purchase in the near future, you don’t really need to buy your credit score.
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