The most important financial move you can make is to review your credit report each year. Spotting inaccuracies early on can help prevent serious damage to your credit score and your financial future. Allowing errors to remain on your credit report may affect your ability to borrow money, buy a new home, purchase insurance and even prevent you from getting a job.

While many websites claim to provide ‘free’ copies of your credit report– they often come with strings attached. In most cases, your report is only provided when you sign up for a trial service– credit monitoring, for instance. But thanks to a federal law enacted in 2005, you’re entitled to one free credit report per year from each of the major credit reporting agencies.

To get your free copy of your credit report, visit AnnualCreditReport.com or call 1-877-322-8228. The three major credit reporting agencies, Experian, TransUnion and Equifax, have provided this central website to provide your free annual reports. Order all three reports at one time or order your report from each of the companies at different times throughout the year. Or, complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form available online and mail it to:

Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281 Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

If you’ve already exhausted your free yearly reports, you’re still entitled to your credit report anytime you’re denied credit for any reason. You can also purchase copies of your credit report directly from each of the 3 major credit bureaus. Write or call them individually at:

• Equifax: 1-800-525-6285 P.O. Box 9530 Allen, TX 75013

• TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289 P.O. Box 390 Springfield, PA 19064

• Experian: 1-888-397-3742 P.O. Box 9530 Allen, TX 75013

Posted in Credit Tips

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