Dealing With Credit Bureaus
The goal of this essay is to provide information on the 3 major credit bureaus. Currently,in today’s society, having good credit is essential and at some point in time it is likely that you will need to deal with these agencies: Equifax, TransUnion and Experian. Each one of these organizations maintain a credit report and a FICO score for every individual in the country who has applied for or received credit.
After finishing this article it is hoped that you will have a better understanding of these organizations and will be able to use them to your advantage. This will be particularly useful when undertaking a strategy of Credit Repair.
Any time you are about to delve into your current credit score you should request a copy of your credit report. It is wise to verify your credit score and credit reports regularly. In doing this you will be able to constantly track all of the information contained within your reports. Not only will this give you a better understanding of where you stand at any given time but, perhaps more importantly, will alert you to any errors or potential identity theft.
Anyone who requests one, is entitled to a free copy of their credit report once each year. If additional copies are needed within that year they can be purchased for around $10 each.
The Truth About Credit Bureaus
Credit agencies simply report items that are supplied to them by your lenders. So anytime there is an error made by an institution with which you have a loan this false data appears in your report, potentially having a negative affect on your score. This is why it is important for you to know what is in your report and to instantly report any errors to the appropriate credit agency so that they can be corrected.
As we, as a society, have become more and more dependent on credit, Trans Union, Equifax and Experian have evolved as the villains in the minds of many. But they are literally just a service that provides data that is only as accurate that which they receive. So don’t be intimidated by them, they can be a tremendous asset to you.
May 7th, 2009 at 6:31 am
Hmmm very interesting. I’m starting up a new blog all about mortgage loans and stuff but I never thought about the nuts and bolts of the credit report. Cheers!