Why You Must Know Your Credit Report

By Hester Downs

Previous to you make a major purchase that involves financing it is wise to prepare yourself ahead of time and search out a copy of your credit report to confirm that it is truthful. Many people get an undesirable bombshell, as they are prepared to get a loan to make a major acquisition when they find out that there are complications and inaccuracies on their report that they didn't even realize were there.

It has been projected that as many as 75% of all credit reports contain considerable mistakes. These errors can prevent the individual from acquiring the credit that they need. However, many of these mistakes and irregularities can be either deleted or improved with credit repair tips.

Most people are aware that inquiries into their report can affect their credit score but the truth is that only inquiries from creditors influence the score. When an individual obtains a copy of their own individual credit report it has no effect on the credit score as it is considered to be a soft inquiry.

You should examine your credit report on a consistent basis because even one single mistake showing on your report could result in being charged higher interest rates or down payments, or even being rejected for credit completely. These days, insurance companies are using credit reports as a means to refuse coverage and even many employers are utilizing them as a tool for hiring.

The truth is that there are frequent circumstances in which people may request to see your credit scores. Utility companies, landlords, insurance companies, hospitals and doctors, not to mention the ones you usually assume such as mortgage companies, credit card issuers and other lenders. It is critical to know nonetheless that it is against the law for somebody to examine your credit report without your unambiguous authorization.

It is simple to check your own credit report. Just contact the credit bureaus and make a request. You are allowed to acquire one copy of your up-to-date report from each of the three main credit reporting bureaus one time per year. The credit bureaus do not exchange or distribute information so it is essential to acquire all three. Also, a creditor may utilize all three reports or just one and you never know which that will be so you need to make sure all of them are good.

Be sure and check your credit report on a regular basis. You should always take advantage of your free credit report to check it out. There are credit-monitoring services that will advise you when there is any type of modification on your credit report that may be helpful. However they are not required and you may only wish to consider them if there is a lot of abnormal activity or you have a concern about identity theft.

The only person who is really troubled with what is showing up on your credit report is you. It is your responsibility to make sure that everything that is being reported is truthful and shows you in your best light. When you systematically examine your report you become aware of the problems and you can take the steps that are required to repair your credit report.

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