Viewing Credit Reports

An important part of keeping up with and improving your credit is regularly reviewing your credit report. But how do you review a credit report, and how can you order one for free? Here’s everything you need to know.

There are three major credit bureaus—TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax. You are entitled to one free credit report from each bureau every 12 months. To monitor your credit year-round for free, simply order one report from a different bureau every four months. Each bureau may have different credit scores, so check for consistency and accuracy.

Visit the three bureaus listed below to get your free credit report. Or, you can order one through www.annualcreditreport.com.

There are five main factors in your report’s FICO score. See how it breaks down in the chart below. Then, take a look at the list below to see other items to review in your report.The chart below breaks these categories down for a better understanding.

• Closed accounts
  
• Collections
  
• Public records, like tax liens and bankruptcies