How to Get Your Credit Report for Free
Go to annualcreditreport.com., Fill out the required information., Decide which credit reports to order., Verify your identity., View your report or reports online., Request a credit report by phone or mail., Check your credit report, from all three...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Go to annualcreditreport.com.
This is the website set up by the three credit reporting agencies – Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian – to allow customers to easily request a credit report.
This is the only site authorized to issue free credit reports, so be sure to use it, and not other “impostor” sites. -
Step 2: Fill out the required information.
You will need to provide basic information to establish your identity, including your:
Birth date Social security number Current address Previous address if you have not lived at your current address for 2 years , The three reporting companies get their information from different places and so may have slightly different information.
They also present it in different ways.
If you are about to seek credit for a large purchase like a car or house, it is a good idea to get all three reports to make sure your credit information is accurate.
If you are not about to make a big purchase, it makes more sense to space out your requests so that you can keep track of your credit information over the course of the year.Equifax – Equifax conveniently groups accounts into “open” or “closed”, making it easy to review your current accounts.
It also provides an 81-month credit history for each credit account, reflecting whether the account was paid or overdue in each of those months.
For more on the Equifax report layout and codes used, see here.
Experian – The most helpful feature of Experian reports is that they tell you when an account or a negative report is scheduled to fall off your credit report.
Experian also offers an 81-month payment history for each account.
Experian is also the only company to report on-time rent payments, as opposed to just late ones.
For more on the Experian report layout and codes used, see here.
TransUnion – TransUnion tends to have the most up-to-date previous address and employment information.
You can correct the employment information via their website when you get the report, though this will not change your credit score.
They are also the only credit agency to report your monthly balance and payment as part of your credit history.
For more on the TransUnion report layout and codes used, see here. , Each credit reporting agency will ask you questions regarding your credit history in order to verify that you are who you say you are.
The questions will concern your credit accounts – when they were opened, how much you owe, etc. – and your previous addresses.
Don’t be worried if you don’t recognize some of the information. “None of the above” is a very popular answer in credit companies’ identity verification questions. , You will be able to view all the reports you ordered online.
If you register an account with the reporting companies, you may be able to return to view them for up to 30 days.
Otherwise, you will only be able to view them once, so be sure to save the reports or print them. , If you're not the internet type, there are two other ways to request your free annual credit report:
By phone – To request that your report be mailed to you by phone, call 1-877-322-8228 and ask for a copy of your report from each of the three reporting agencies.
You will go through a simple verification process over the phone, similar to the online process, and should receive a copy of your report within 2 to 3 weeks of your request.
By mail – To request your report by mail, you will need to complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form available here and then mail it to:
Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O.
Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.
You can expect to receive a copy of your report in approximately two to three weeks from the date your request is received by AnnualCreditReport.com. , If one of the bureaus gets false information from your credit company, or it simply makes a mistake, it pays to fix the problem quickly.
A lingering blemish on your credit report might go unnoticed and then get buried if you fail to request a report every year, leaving you with a mysteriously low credit score and no reasons why.
Print and archive your credit report.
Having a physical copy is so old-school, but it's also smart.
Having copies of your credit reports dating back to when you first started using credit may come in handy if you ever need to show proof, for example, in a dispute with a credit company or the bureau itself. -
Step 3: Decide which credit reports to order.
-
Step 4: Verify your identity.
-
Step 5: View your report or reports online.
-
Step 6: Request a credit report by phone or mail.
-
Step 7: Check your credit report
-
Step 8: from all three bureaus
-
Step 9: every year.
Detailed Guide
This is the website set up by the three credit reporting agencies – Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian – to allow customers to easily request a credit report.
This is the only site authorized to issue free credit reports, so be sure to use it, and not other “impostor” sites.
You will need to provide basic information to establish your identity, including your:
Birth date Social security number Current address Previous address if you have not lived at your current address for 2 years , The three reporting companies get their information from different places and so may have slightly different information.
They also present it in different ways.
If you are about to seek credit for a large purchase like a car or house, it is a good idea to get all three reports to make sure your credit information is accurate.
If you are not about to make a big purchase, it makes more sense to space out your requests so that you can keep track of your credit information over the course of the year.Equifax – Equifax conveniently groups accounts into “open” or “closed”, making it easy to review your current accounts.
It also provides an 81-month credit history for each credit account, reflecting whether the account was paid or overdue in each of those months.
For more on the Equifax report layout and codes used, see here.
Experian – The most helpful feature of Experian reports is that they tell you when an account or a negative report is scheduled to fall off your credit report.
Experian also offers an 81-month payment history for each account.
Experian is also the only company to report on-time rent payments, as opposed to just late ones.
For more on the Experian report layout and codes used, see here.
TransUnion – TransUnion tends to have the most up-to-date previous address and employment information.
You can correct the employment information via their website when you get the report, though this will not change your credit score.
They are also the only credit agency to report your monthly balance and payment as part of your credit history.
For more on the TransUnion report layout and codes used, see here. , Each credit reporting agency will ask you questions regarding your credit history in order to verify that you are who you say you are.
The questions will concern your credit accounts – when they were opened, how much you owe, etc. – and your previous addresses.
Don’t be worried if you don’t recognize some of the information. “None of the above” is a very popular answer in credit companies’ identity verification questions. , You will be able to view all the reports you ordered online.
If you register an account with the reporting companies, you may be able to return to view them for up to 30 days.
Otherwise, you will only be able to view them once, so be sure to save the reports or print them. , If you're not the internet type, there are two other ways to request your free annual credit report:
By phone – To request that your report be mailed to you by phone, call 1-877-322-8228 and ask for a copy of your report from each of the three reporting agencies.
You will go through a simple verification process over the phone, similar to the online process, and should receive a copy of your report within 2 to 3 weeks of your request.
By mail – To request your report by mail, you will need to complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form available here and then mail it to:
Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O.
Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.
You can expect to receive a copy of your report in approximately two to three weeks from the date your request is received by AnnualCreditReport.com. , If one of the bureaus gets false information from your credit company, or it simply makes a mistake, it pays to fix the problem quickly.
A lingering blemish on your credit report might go unnoticed and then get buried if you fail to request a report every year, leaving you with a mysteriously low credit score and no reasons why.
Print and archive your credit report.
Having a physical copy is so old-school, but it's also smart.
Having copies of your credit reports dating back to when you first started using credit may come in handy if you ever need to show proof, for example, in a dispute with a credit company or the bureau itself.
About the Author
Ann Johnson
Enthusiastic about teaching practical skills techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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