Check Your Credit Report-and Keep Checking!
How often should you check your credit report? The simple answer is this: once a year. However, everyone is an individual with different circumstances, so one size does not fit all. For those with good credit, once a year may be enough. However, in this economy, many people are opening more accounts and dealing with other situations that would call for more frequent credit report checks. It is important to know when to check your credit report.
Accessing your credit report regularly can actually help to detect identity fraud beyond simply checking your monthly credit card bills for purchases you did not make. The thief that uses the account you already know about is not as difficult to catch as the one who opens new accounts with your identity. This thief can be detected by checking your credit report, because the credit report details new accounts opened with your identity.
If you wait until you have bill collectors calling you about a large amount of debt you have accumulated, you will be too late to stop an identity thief from ruining your credit. By staying on top of your credit report, you can detect identity fraud early on, giving you a chance to resolve the situation before it is too late to keep your credit intact. There are other reasons to check your credit report regularly as well.
If you are planning to get out of your current credit card debt or to improve your credit in general, your credit report is the right place to begin your research. It contains details about all of your financial accounts and what creditors are saying about you. Staying on top of your finances is the best way to maintain good credit or to improve upon it.
The credit report also becomes valuable when you decide a project must go the funding way but your application is denied. Even a credit card debt of twenty dollars from four years ago can keep you from receiving a loan. If your credit is cited as the reason for the rejection, you are entitled to a free credit report, which you should review to ensure that the information inside is accurate and that the decision was not based on misinformation.
The credit reporting bureau that produces credit reports is not infallible and every once in a while, a human error can pop up in a report. Legally you may challenge a report that you deem to be inaccurate and, because they are required to by law, credit agencies must investigate your complaint.
It is not only important to know what your credit report says about you, it is your right. Whether you are trying to get a loan or just making sure your identity has not been stolen, it is important to know what information is on your credit report.
Don’t pass up your legal right to pull your credit report once a year. Beyond that, if you are looking into getting a loan, attempting to improve your credit score, or just looking out for identity thieves, pull your credit report often enough to make sure your credit information is correct.