Arturo Ronzon asked:




When did you check your national credit report, was it this year, the previous year or maybe you do not even care about it. In case you do not deem it important to check, this article will alert you of the need to always request for your credit report. This is because it determines approval of your loan application whenever you apply for any loan. The credit report is the collection of credit data from the different credit transactions individuals make with financial institutions. Every lender goes through the credit report of the prospective borrower before approving the loan application, making the credit report a very vital document.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) mandated the three national consumer companies to always give a free copy of the credit report to all every year. This makes it compulsory for Equifax, Trans Union and Experian to produce free copies of the national credit reports to Americans every year. You can utilize this opportunity to request for a free copy of your credit report from the three bureaus; this is the first place to start from. Be very careful to apply at the right channel, especially if you are applying online so that you will not risk giving out your personal information to the wrong person, this might cost you a lot at the end of the day if it ends up with those practicing identity theft.

Before applying for any loan, request for your credit report so that you can know your level of credit worthiness. If your request is damaged a repair will be necessitated so as to access the loan facility in the future. The first step towards repairing your bad credit report is to request for the three free copies of your credit report from the three consumer companies, this is because, the three companies report differently independent of the other. So, to get a free national credit report, go to http://www.annualcreditreport.com. You can also apply offline by writing an application or through phone call, after your application, the request will be processed and the report will be mailed to you within fifteen days of your application. Most people prefer the online method of application because it produces an instant credit report, saving you the unnecessary time you spend waiting for the mail.

Kelly

Carrie Reeder asked:


Ready to apply for a mortgage loan? Thinking about getting a new credit card? Before you do, you may want to review a copy of your credit report to ensure that all your information is accurate. And, fortunately, there are quite a few ways to obtain a free copy of your credit report. Here’s how:

Make a phone call

There are three major credit reporting bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. They are legally required to provide you with a copy of your credit report–for free!–once a year. And obtaining your report can be as simple as making a phone call! Just do an Internet search to find the phone numbers of the three credit reporting bureaus, and call each one individually. In most cases you’ll give your information to an automated voice mail service, and in no time at all your reports will be delivered to your mailbox.

Write a letter

Don’t trust the automated voice mail system? Need your request in writing for paperwork reasons? When you search online for the three credit bureaus’ information, look for a snail mail address. In most cases, you can simply send a letter that includes all your basic information–name, address, social security number, phone number and previous addresses. Ask for a copy of your credit report. Although this process takes a little longer than a phone call–because you have to wait for the postal service–you should still have your credit reports in a relatively short amount of time.

Go online!

The quickest and easiest way to get your free credit report is to go online. You can either access your reports directly through the credit reporting bureau, or you can find a website that consolidates these reports into one. Either way, you’ll get your information instantly–no waiting! You can print out your report so that you can review it at your leisure.

No matter which method you choose for obtaining your credit report, remember: it should be free once a year. However, you may have to pay a small fee if you want your credit score, too.



Lynn