Knowing your credit score is an important part of maintaining your overall financial health. But your score alone won’t give you the full picture of your situation. Because your credit score is based on information in your credit report, it’s important to also check your report. Here’s how to obtain both.
How to Check Your Credit Report
- Visit Annualcreditreport.com. By law, every 12 months you're eligible to receive a free copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies through this central website. You can also request a copy by phone or mail.
- Have your personal information ready. To get your free report, you'll need to provide your name, address, Social Security number, and date of birth. You may also be asked to provide previous addresses and information only you would know, such as the amount of your monthly mortgage payment.
- Review your report to make sure the information is correct. Errors include accounts that don't belong to you, names of employers you didn't work for, and previous addresses that are wrong.
- If you find mistakes, contact the credit reporting agency that issued the report, as well as the creditor who provided the information. The credit reporting company will investigate and issue you another free report if the dispute results in a correction.
How to Check Your Credit Score
- First, see whether your credit report, credit card statement, or a loan statement has your credit score on it.
- If not, consider purchasing your score directly from one of the three major nationwide credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion. (Your score will vary based on the agency providing the report.)
- If your credit score isn’t as high as you’d hoped, look at your credit report for areas where you need to improve, check for any potential errors on the report, and consider visiting a credit counselor.
If your credit isn’t as healthy as you want it to be, staying aware of your score and report is a great first step. Learn more about building credit.
