When is the last time you checked your credit report? It is recommended that you check it once a year and since we just passed Tax Day, this is a great time to do so. Staying on top of your credit in today’s economy is a smart step to take to protect yourself and your credit. If you notice anything unusual on your report, investigate immediately. Sometimes it takes weeks if not months to clear up stolen identities or misreporting by a credit card company, utility company or mortgage company.
www.annualcreditreport.com is an authorized website to provide free annual credit reports. Note: none of the additional services offered at www.annualcreditreport.com are necessary to retrieve your free report.
When requesting your information online, you will need to identify your state and then click “request report”. Complete all required fields and select the credit bureau you would like to access and follow each step. You will then have access to view and print your credit report.
It is recommended that you choose to save the .pdf version that is offered as well as printing it out for later review. If you want your credit score, you will be given the option to purchase it. There’s no need to purchase your credit score unless you’re in the market to borrow money. Instead, review the report with an eagle eye, making sure that all information is reported accurately.
