Posts Tagged Twelve Months
How to Get Free Credit Reports
Daniel Major asked:
Knowing exactly what is on your credit report is often dismissed as not being important by so many people yet the importance of having this information cannot be stressed enough. Your credit report will show you exactly what lenders see and you are likely to find one or two errors on there also that once corrected can improve your credit score very quickly.
Having your credit report when applying for any financial product could actually save you money because whenever you apply for credit, no matter what type of credit, it is recorded on your credit history, irrespective whether your application is approved or rejected.
Approvals for credit are great but each time you have a rejection it will damage your credit score further, however, if you have your report in front of you before making any application you will be able to judge, based upon a consultation with the lender, whether you are likely to be approved or not and therefore avoid any unnecessary damage to your credit score. A good credit score is important because the benefits of having a good credit score are that you will be able to obtain better terms with lower interest rates and a much greater choice when it comes to choosing lenders.
You are entitled by law to a FREE credit report every twelve months from each of the three credit bureaus; Experian, TransUnion and Equifax which you can apply for online at the respective sites or by mail, so don’t get suckered into paying for something you can get for free.
A good idea is to stagger each application by four months; by doing so you will have an updated report every sixteen weeks or so. Be aware though that each bureau may hold slightly differing information about you, so if you cannot see something on your newest report that was on your previous report it doesn’t necessarily mean it has been removed.
On a final note, when applying for credit always ask which of the three credit bureaus the lender uses when checking the credit records of potential clients. If your credit score with one of the three bureaus is healthier than with the other two, it may be advantageous to look for a lender that uses that specific bureau when performing their checks.
Joanne
Knowing exactly what is on your credit report is often dismissed as not being important by so many people yet the importance of having this information cannot be stressed enough. Your credit report will show you exactly what lenders see and you are likely to find one or two errors on there also that once corrected can improve your credit score very quickly.
Having your credit report when applying for any financial product could actually save you money because whenever you apply for credit, no matter what type of credit, it is recorded on your credit history, irrespective whether your application is approved or rejected.
Approvals for credit are great but each time you have a rejection it will damage your credit score further, however, if you have your report in front of you before making any application you will be able to judge, based upon a consultation with the lender, whether you are likely to be approved or not and therefore avoid any unnecessary damage to your credit score. A good credit score is important because the benefits of having a good credit score are that you will be able to obtain better terms with lower interest rates and a much greater choice when it comes to choosing lenders.
You are entitled by law to a FREE credit report every twelve months from each of the three credit bureaus; Experian, TransUnion and Equifax which you can apply for online at the respective sites or by mail, so don’t get suckered into paying for something you can get for free.
A good idea is to stagger each application by four months; by doing so you will have an updated report every sixteen weeks or so. Be aware though that each bureau may hold slightly differing information about you, so if you cannot see something on your newest report that was on your previous report it doesn’t necessarily mean it has been removed.
On a final note, when applying for credit always ask which of the three credit bureaus the lender uses when checking the credit records of potential clients. If your credit score with one of the three bureaus is healthier than with the other two, it may be advantageous to look for a lender that uses that specific bureau when performing their checks.
Joanne
Free Credit Score Report – Government Mandates Free Credit Reports For All Consumers
Hector Milla asked:
The federal government is currently offering all consumers the option of obtaining a free credit report once every year. This free credit report allows consumers the chance to become aware of their credit history, possible identity thefts, and areas to improve in, once every twelve months. While this is a great resource for all consumers, many will find that viewing only one credit report per year does not give consumers ample information to stay up-to-date on their financial standing.
Three Reasons Why Receiving One Credit Report A Year Is Simply Not Enough:
1. While receiving one free credit report a year is better than never viewing one’s report at all, it is almost impossible to improve one’s financial standing without viewing more than one credit report per year. Most people should consider using this free report as a starting point in repairing their financial history. Even those that have a good score may still benefit from making a few simple changes. This free report may be used to view any negative aspects in one’s financial history, whether those may be a debt in collections or credit cards that are nearing their limit. Once the negative factors influencing one’s score has been determined, one can then begin to work towards fixing any imperfections.
2. A person that regularly checks their report is at a much reduced risk of becoming a victim of identity theft. While those that regularly check their credit report may also become victims of identity theft, they are at a much greater advantage of catching a theft early and rectifying the situation before it spirals out of control. A great deal of damage can be done to one’s financial standing within the span of a year. In fact, someone that has a good score can easily find themselves with several fraudulent credit cards and/or loans that total thousands of dollars. However, someone that frequently checks their report will be able to spot a fraudulent debt and notify the proper authorities before their situation becomes dire.
3. People that frequently check their report tend to be more financially responsible. In terms of financial standing, ignorance is not bliss. Ignorance, many times, leads to one not being aware of how their debts, occasional late payments, and credit cards are truly affecting their financial history and credibility. As most people would agree, it is much easier to be aware of one’s standing and make efforts to improve their score over time, than to find yourself in a difficult situation when attempting to obtain a home or other important loan.
Paula
The federal government is currently offering all consumers the option of obtaining a free credit report once every year. This free credit report allows consumers the chance to become aware of their credit history, possible identity thefts, and areas to improve in, once every twelve months. While this is a great resource for all consumers, many will find that viewing only one credit report per year does not give consumers ample information to stay up-to-date on their financial standing.
Three Reasons Why Receiving One Credit Report A Year Is Simply Not Enough:
1. While receiving one free credit report a year is better than never viewing one’s report at all, it is almost impossible to improve one’s financial standing without viewing more than one credit report per year. Most people should consider using this free report as a starting point in repairing their financial history. Even those that have a good score may still benefit from making a few simple changes. This free report may be used to view any negative aspects in one’s financial history, whether those may be a debt in collections or credit cards that are nearing their limit. Once the negative factors influencing one’s score has been determined, one can then begin to work towards fixing any imperfections.
2. A person that regularly checks their report is at a much reduced risk of becoming a victim of identity theft. While those that regularly check their credit report may also become victims of identity theft, they are at a much greater advantage of catching a theft early and rectifying the situation before it spirals out of control. A great deal of damage can be done to one’s financial standing within the span of a year. In fact, someone that has a good score can easily find themselves with several fraudulent credit cards and/or loans that total thousands of dollars. However, someone that frequently checks their report will be able to spot a fraudulent debt and notify the proper authorities before their situation becomes dire.
3. People that frequently check their report tend to be more financially responsible. In terms of financial standing, ignorance is not bliss. Ignorance, many times, leads to one not being aware of how their debts, occasional late payments, and credit cards are truly affecting their financial history and credibility. As most people would agree, it is much easier to be aware of one’s standing and make efforts to improve their score over time, than to find yourself in a difficult situation when attempting to obtain a home or other important loan.
Paula
How Your FICA Score Effects Your Personal Credit History
Gerald Washam asked:
Understand Your Credit
Trying to understand how credit works can be frustrating. Most people do not even know where to begin when trying to identify their personal credit rating. There are three major credit bureaus that report your credit status. These three credit bureaus are Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. All three also keep your FICA or credit score. This score can give you the best idea of how your credit ranks.
FICA…What Is It?
FICA scores range from 375 to 900. In general, the higher your credit score the better you will be able to obtain credit. A FICA score under 620 makes obtaining credit difficult. You should identify what your score is and if it isn’t a good number you should then work on making it better. Creditors use your FICA score to determine whether to give you credit and sometimes base interest rates on this score. It is a very important number to know.
Your FICA Score
To determine your credit score you should request your credit report from the three major credit bureaus. The new legislation passed that allows you one free credit report every twelve months does not require the credit bureau to give you your FICA score, so you will probably have to pay for these reports. The contact information for each bureau is as follows:
Equifax 800-685-1111 http://www.equifax.com
Understand Your Credit
Trying to understand how credit works can be frustrating. Most people do not even know where to begin when trying to identify their personal credit rating. There are three major credit bureaus that report your credit status. These three credit bureaus are Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. All three also keep your FICA or credit score. This score can give you the best idea of how your credit ranks.
FICA…What Is It?
FICA scores range from 375 to 900. In general, the higher your credit score the better you will be able to obtain credit. A FICA score under 620 makes obtaining credit difficult. You should identify what your score is and if it isn’t a good number you should then work on making it better. Creditors use your FICA score to determine whether to give you credit and sometimes base interest rates on this score. It is a very important number to know.
Your FICA Score
To determine your credit score you should request your credit report from the three major credit bureaus. The new legislation passed that allows you one free credit report every twelve months does not require the credit bureau to give you your FICA score, so you will probably have to pay for these reports. The contact information for each bureau is as follows:
Equifax 800-685-1111 http://www.equifax.com
Experian 888-397-3742 http://www.experian.com
TransUnion 800-916-8800 http://www.transunion.com
You should receive a copy of your personal credit report that includes your FICA score. Your FICA score is listed along with a comparison to the general population. This lets you know where you fall on the scale from excellent to poor. The credit bureau may include information as to why your score is not higher. Once you have your score you can then determine what you need to do to make it higher.
Raising Your Score
Some simple things can be done to help raise your FICA score. Paying your bills on time, keeping a small amount of unused credit available, keeping your debt low, and avoid inquires to your credit report can all help improve your credit score. Some things like, length of credit history, length of time on your job, and length of time at residence are things you can do nothing about, but that will also affect your FICA score. Practicing good credit methods will help you to obtain a better FICA score.
If you are worried about your personal credit you should really check out your FICA score. Then work to improve it. It may take time, but everyone has the ability to have good credit.
Tim