Whenever a person applies for a loan of any sort – whether it is a mortgage, a personal loan, or even a credit card, their credit report is pulled and scrutinized. Everyone knows this. However, what isn’t as widely known is the mass amount of information available within these credit reports and histories.

There are three primary national credit bureaus in the United States. Each agency’s primary form of business is the reporting of credit information that will enable their clients to learn certain facts about a person or business’s credit history, which, in turn, allows their clients to make better overall business decisions. The “big 3” in the United States are:

Experian, formerly known as TRW – www.experian.com Equifax – www.equifax.com Trans Union – www.transunion.com So, what information is on a credit report? Is it just data that pertains to an individual or to a business’s finances? Or is other information noted there as well? In fact, there is a very large amount of data collected and displayed in a credit report. The following is the information that may be found, in part or in total, on a credit reporting history from Experian, Equifax, or Trans Union:

Their total credit score. The score is made up of three individual parts. One-third is based on the subject’s payment history, one-third is based on their debt/credit ratio, and the final third is a compilation of the length of their credit history, their types of credit, and the amount of their recent credit inquiries. Individual credit information. Credit history – including payments, lines of credit, secured loans, and any other type of debt the subject may have. The information here is detailed. The reports break down what the total amount of credit is per loan, what each balance is, as well as a detailed payment history. Settlements, tax liens, and other judgments. If the subject has any tax liens or judgments brought against them, they may be listed as part of the report. Also, any bad debt settlements reached will be reported. Bankruptcy. If bankruptcy is in the subject’s history, it will be noted, as well as if it was a Chapter Seven or a Chapter Thirteen bankruptcy. Also, if they are making payments to the creditors, it will show what their complete payment history is. Arrest and conviction data. Basic data that will show an arrest or conviction information along with dates of arrest, conviction, etc. Other legal information. Such as if the person or business has been sued by another individual or business, including the when and where. Fraud reports. If there are any possible instances of fraud in place, the credit report will detail which accounts are thought to be compromised. Address information. Shows the current as well as several past residences for the individual or business. Employment history. Where the individual is currently working as well as their past employers and dates of employment.

Basically, the consumer files from these national agencies are vast and often include far more than basic credit worthiness. Local and/or regional credit reporting agencies may have even more in-depth, and more detailed, data on individuals and businesses in their local area.

Also, it is smart to be aware of what information is on your own credit report. This is extremely important for a variety of reasons, but mainly, to be sure your report is accurate. Though, if you have suspicions that someone else is using your identifying information to steal from you, in other words – identity theft, checking your credit report is an excellent way of deducing if your suspicions are correct or not.

However, there is another reason to know what types of data lurk in a credit report. If you’re investigating a person or a business, having access to their credit report can often give you exactly the data you’re looking for, in addition to the obvious financial history. Because of this, and the risk associated with it, the Federal Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) has amendments in place to protect credit reports from being illegally retrieved.

To obtain a credit report on someone other than yourself, you must have a “legitimate business need,” as well as, in most cases, a signed release. Some of these legitimate business reasons may include:

Renting property, apartments, houses, etc. If you’re a landlord, retrieving credit information on possible tenants is within the parameters of the law as long as there is a signed release.Approving loans of any sort (from a mortgage to a credit card). This is fairly obvious. Any institution that loans money, in whatever form, has the legal right to request credit history information on their applicants. Employment verification. Many companies in the United States now have potential employees sign a credit report release as part of their pre-employment screening. This, along with general backgrounds checks, is quickly becoming the norm.Collection proceedings for bad debt. If an individual, or business, has not paid a debt back, the lending institution may begin collection proceedings with or without a collection agency. Credit reports are almost always used in these proceedings. Also, the FCRA mandates that procuring a credit report under false pretenses is a crime, which could lead to fines, jail time, and/or the relinquishment of a business license.

So, what do you do if you are in need of a credit report other than your own, and you do not fall into one of these prior categories? Well, unfortunately, to actually retrieve an official credit report – there’s not a whole lot you can do. Even online information brokers need to be extremely careful that the users of their databases have a legitimate business purpose – which means you’d probably have to verify this to utilize their services.

However, there are other potential alternatives at your disposal for retrieving the information you want. The following are some examples of steps you can take, and the places you can go, to get the financial as well as the additional background you’re after:

State or County Records – Every credit report is partially made up of information gathered from public records. Filings such as arrest and conviction records, tax liens, and bankruptcies can be retrieved from the correct locality in which the record is stored. These, most of the time, will be at the state or county level. Just check with the appropriate state to find out exactly where to go to retrieve the records you’re looking for. Also, online search agencies (information brokers) can also get this public record information for you through their public records databases.Dissemination of Information – Certain reporting agencies, such as Experian and Dunn & Bradstreet, can run a comprehensive credit check on businesses within their directory for their clients. This information is an overview of the specific information that is actually on the credit report and can give valuable data to branch off from. These condensed reports can offer data on tax liens, judgments, bankruptcies, business background reports, lawsuits, payment trend behavior, etc. Most of these types of reporting agencies offer a one time rate to retrieve the information you’re after. For consistent searches, they also offer a subscriber rate.Do Some Legwork – Check the appropriate locality’s register of deeds office to look into real-estate mortgage records, search the appropriate files at your local courthouse to investigate public record information, interview former coworkers, friends, and family members of the individual, etc. Be ready to talk to anyone you can and listen carefully. Write everything down and continue to connect the dots. While there is some information you’d find on a credit report you won’t discover in this fashion, you may find data that will lead you onto other avenues. If you spread your net wide enough, you should end up with a fairly accurate picture of the individual you’re investigating.Uniform Commercial Code Filings – The UCC allows a creditor to notify other creditors about a debtor’s assets that have been used as collateral for a secured transaction. The creditor does this by filing a public notice, or financing statement, with a particular filing office. You can search these filings by most states using online information brokers and other public record vendors. You can also do your own online search, if you’re motivated enough, by going to the appropriate state’s UCC database or by going to the state web site that offers free access to the UCC database. By doing a simple search online, you can find a plethora of information on UCC filings as well as possible information brokers to use, if you decide to go that route. While credit reports and histories give the needed financial information a company or individual requires to determine credit worthiness on another, these reports can also include other data that will give a greater view of the subject in question. However, even if you don’t have the legal right to retrieve the official credit report of an individual or a business; don’t give up on your investigation. Remember, there are other ways to get the information you require.



By: Terry Taggert

Your credit score/FICO report can determine your eligibility for loans, what interest rate you pay for loans, and even whether you get a job to which you are applying. With every incentive to improve your score and nothing to lose, it should be a priority step in getting your financial life on track.

Here are 5 steps to improve your credit score.

Tip #1: Pull your report for free: The first step in fixing your credit is to get a handle on your current score. The Federal Trade Commission has an agreement with the Big Three credit reporting agencies to provide every U.S. citizen with a free credit report every 12 months. To get your free copy, go to the official Annual Credit Report Request Service Web site and follow instructions for requesting your report.

Tip #2: Pay your bills on time: A full 35% of your FICO score is determined by how timely you pay your bills. If you have missed any payments in the past few years, it will likely help your score significantly to go back and fix your past-due status with the creditors involved. By paying your overdue bill, your creditors will remove these glitches from your report from each reporting agency. Hint: go back and pull your report again later to make sure that all three of the agencies have actually removed the problem from your records as promised.

Tip #3: Get the balance (of credit types) right: 10% of your credit score reflects the specific diversity of types of debt you have and the credit lines you have available to you. Make sure you have the right balance of auto or home loan, department store cards, charge cards, and credit cards. This healthy mix shows potential creditors that you know how to handle different types of debt.

Tip #4: Reduce your debt: Your debt-to-credit ratio is the ratio of the amount you owe versus the amount of credit extended to you. It determines a full 30% of your credit score. There are three ways to reduce your debt: 1. Make more money; 2. Put more of your current income toward paying off your debt; 3. Reduce the cost of your debt. One great way to reduce the cost of your debt is to transfer your current credit card balances to credit cards with lower interest rates. Doing this can save you $100s per month in debt payments if you have large credit card balances.

Tip #5: Open more lines of credit: You can also improve your debt-to-credit ratio by actually increasing the amount of credit extended to you. The key here is to do so while avoiding actually using these new credit cards. To avoid using the cards extensively, make a purchase or two with them each month and then hide them so they are not readily accessible. Also: if you do open more lines of credit, do so over a period of a few months since having too much new credit can actually hurt your score.

There are many straightforward ways to improve your credit score. So, pull your free report, assess your situation, and start taking steps toward a healthier financial life.



By: Jed C. Jones Ph.D.

Your Credit Report contains all of your financial information along with a personal history. Did you know that your Credit Score can be influenced by mistakes made by the credit reporting bureaus? This can cost you hundreds of dollars per year. Is there a way to fix this problem? If you are financially savvy, by now you know that ordering and examining your free Report can potentially save you a lot of money over the life of any major purchase. For example, people in the excellent risk range of 730 – 850 are typically guaranteed the best interest rate. This will save them on average $90000 over the life of a 30 year term mortgage.

Since most people are not independently wealthy, being able to save money at any juncture is a welcome addition to their routine. Imagine being welcomed by creditors anxious to loan you money because you are in the good to excellent credit risk. This is not a pipe dream, by carefully managing your money and keeping an eye on the credit report, you too can raise your credit score.

Do you know how to order and credit report from the monitors? It is a fairly straightforward process which can be accomplished by going online or calling a toll free number. Make sure you use this service because there are bogus offers out there designed specifically to steal your financial data. This should be done at least once per year to ensure that all of the information contained therein is yours and not mistakenly assigned to you. There are errors on many reports that cause plenty of financial hardship to unsuspecting folks. Don’t be a part of this group, order yours by clicking here.



By: Brian G Chadra

Report Monitoring

Keeping Track of Your Credit

Whether you are a business owner planning to seek further credit or someone who is out looking for a new job, effective credit report monitoring is highly valuable. Nowadays, lending institutions and employers are more cautious when it comes to doing business with clients and potential employees respectively. The report of an individual speaks much about his character and credit situation. The report also lists important personal details about you, such as your identification information, credit card details, as well as loan details. It indicates whether you have made timely payments or if you have defaulted on your credit payments. It even shows if you are someone who has suffered from bankruptcy or if you are already at the brink of facing a bankruptcy.

Save Yourself from Faulty Credit Reports

Some people suffer from faulty reports, and this is why monitoring your credit report should be done on a regular basis. Some incorrect information could be included in your report, and this may prove detrimental to your over-all credit score. A low credit score is not something that you would want to be reflected in your report, so taking care of inaccuracies early on is very helpful. These incorrect entries can be dealt with effectively through timely and consistent credit monitoring. Most credit reports are often precise; however getting inaccurate reports can be very inconvenient for anyone.

Achieving an Impressive Credit Score

Checking into your credit report from time to time will help you pinpoint any errors, before any erroneously reflected data will tarnish your otherwise spotless credit report and rating. While monitoring reports on credit is not an easy task to carry out, there are companies who are willing to monitor your reports for you. You just need to make sure that the credit monitoring service provider actually employs experts who can carry out their tasks in an efficient and professional manner. Credit report monitoring is an effective way to keep track of your credit and achieving an impressive credit score.



By: Sanjay Kak

Once your debts are written off, it does not mean that efforts to collect them are stopped. If the creditor chooses to; these debts are sold to a collection agency and becomes collection accounts. Collection agencies usually purchase these accounts for just a fraction of their original amount. These collection accounts will now be collected using every means possible, sometimes even harassment. A particular collection agency will hold these collection accounts for a certain period, usually just for a couple of months. If all methods are exhausted, they will forward these collection accounts to another agency until such time that they are paid or a lawsuit is filed.

Collection accounts, like charge-offs, are reported in your credit report for seven years whether paid or unpaid. Unfortunately, there are plenty of collection agencies that reset the age of the collection account to zero upon receiving them. In short, even if the debt has been made five or six years ago and reported, once the collection agency received it as a collection account, you will have to wait for another seven years before they are removed from your credit report.

Most people are not aware of this and become inconvenienced for a very long time. If you have not yet experienced this, you are lucky. But as circumstances change, you should be prepared fro such situation. One of the best things you could do is to make sure that your credit reports contain accurate entries especially the dates of the reported delinquencies, collection accounts, charge-offs and others. You should also make sure that any payment you have made should be reported. If you find some discrepancies, you should contact the credit agency and report it at once.

Settling a collection account is always recommended, unless you want to suffer from the inconvenience of a bad credit score as well as the harassment of these collection agents. As soon as you are financially-stable enough to address these debts, you should make sure that you contact your creditors or collection agency. You can always try to negotiate payment arrangements, one that is manageable. You should never commit to an arrangement that you would find difficult to fulfill.

As soon as the collection account has been settled, it would be reported to your credit report in three ways: paid in full, collection account paid or simply paid. Again, these records will remain in your credit report for the next seven years from the date of the first delinquency. But then, it is so much better than having an unpaid debt on your report.



By: Frank Bruno

I heard on CNN Headline News that you can obtain one free credit report per year from each of the 4 major credit bureaus.

Does anyone know the names of each credit bureau, the number to call (or address) and what you need to do to get a copy of your credit report?

Your credit report after a bankruptcy will look like a bomb was dropped on it. Your credit score report will be littered with all kinds of derogatory information. Depending on what type of bankruptcy you filed will determine how long it will take to re-establish your credit. The two most common bankruptcies are Chapter 7 and Chapter 13. With the new bankruptcy law, more people will be forced to file Chapter 13. Here are the differences.

Chapter 7 bankruptcy- is considered liquidation of your non-exempt assets. This bankruptcy is considered the quickest and simplest of all bankruptcies. A court appointed trustee sells off all your assets in an attempt to pay back some of your creditors. During most Chapter 7 bankruptcies the client will not have any assets to liquidate.

Chapter 13 – This bankruptcy is considered a wage earner plan. This plan allows individuals whom have income to develop a plan to pay back there creditors over a 3 to 5 year period. Under this bankruptcy you are assigned a court appointed trustee that you make the agreed upon payments to, which they in return pay your creditors.

Bankruptcy is all too common these days with the economy the way it is. The mortgage crisis and the price of gas have caused many people financial troubles all over the United States. Luckily there is hope after a bankruptcy. It’s kind of like polishing up your shoes after you have got some scuff marks on them. Your credit is the same way, you can re-establish credit after a bankruptcy, and that is the first step once you are done with your bankruptcy.

How to establish credit afterwards

The first step is to get two secured credit cards. No bank is going to allow you to get an un-secured credit card after a bankruptcy. All of your past credit will be on your credit report for 7 years. If you filed chapter 7, it will be on your credit report for 10yrs from file date. But most of your past negative credit will be on your report for 7 yrs. The main objective is to get new credit on your report as soon as possible. The only way to do that is with secured credit cards, and Orchard bank is a great one. FICO likes to see a mix of credit, so make sure you get a couple of secured credit cards. This process will take you at least 12 to 24 months to get your credit scores where they are somewhat decent. After a little time with no slow pays, your creditors will start extending credit to you again.

Don’t be a repeat offender

FICO will forgive you for past bad credit mistakes, but if you are a repeat offender it will be tough to recover. The new FICO scoring process does not want to see you continually having problems. So learn from past mistakes, save your money for hard times and emergencies. Also remember to always stay on top of your free credit score report



By: Mike Clover

Each year your credit report comes out with your score at the bottom of it. It could be any where from 350 to 800 and it will vary from person to person.

Your credit score is based on your credit history, outstanding debts, credit length, number of inquiries made to your credit report and the different types of credit that you have.

The thing that will carry the biggest weight is your previous credit history, since this takes in to account, what you been doing over the past 7 to 10 years. if in this time you have incurred late payments or filed for bankruptcy ,then your score will be a poor one. But if there are none of these then you will get a perfect score.

The next thing is any outstanding debts that you may have. This may be your mortgage or a loan that you have applied for. If any of these are paid of early, then that is a good thing. If you have just taken a new debt, like a loan, then this could effect your credit score.

If you do not know already, 700 or higher is considered a good credit score by the experts. Those that do reach this figure, will be able to get any finance they apply for at a lower interest rate. But people who are below this score, will have to pay a much higher rate.

The good thing about credit report and score, is it will change each year. So if you do not score well one year. then you get the chance to improve on it next year. But, first and most importantly, you need to find out what brought it down, this way you can see how to make it improve.

If you have any unpaid debts or bills, then it is best to settle them. Always keep a regular check on your credit report to see if there are any mistakes on it. If there are any mistakes, then report it and have it investigated and then corrected. Always be in control of your spending, as this is the only way any one can have and maintain a good credit score.

If you are finding things hard financially, then seek help as there are always financial advisers who can give you assistance.

You will notice when you get a copy from the three credit reporting agency’s, which are Expedia, Equifax and Transunion that they all do not look the same, but they all say the same thing and that is whether or not you are in good standing. You can get a copy of your credit report from these three agency’s at the same time or after every few months. The best part is that you can get a copy for free.



By: Graham Williams

In this day and age it is vitally important to maintain a decent credit score, especially if you plan to make major purchases like a home or a car. If your credit score is 700 or above, your chances for being denied a loan are very slim; and while Triple A credit is a luxury people dream of, few actually achieve that goal due to poor financial choices. However, you can make the most of your score by understanding the credit rating system, and by maintaining awareness of your standing. Doing this before you begin to shop for a home or auto loan can save hundreds and thousands of dollars just on the interest rate. It could also mean the difference between being approved or denied.

What’s In A Credit Report?

Your credit report houses information that ranges from fairly personal information to your income and borrowing habits. It lists things that creditors will want to know before they decide to lend you money; things like

• How you pay your bills

• Your present and past employment history

• If you have been arrested or sued

• If you have filed for bankruptcy

• Your current residence, and past addresses depending on the time you have been at your current address

Nationwide consumer reporting companies sell information within your reports to employers, creditors, and insurers who utilize all information to evaluate your applications for credit, renting or buying a home, and obtaining insurance.

Obtaining Your Credit Reports Online

It is a requirement of The Fair Credit Reporting Act that the three main consumer reporting companies, Trans Union, Equifax, and Experian, provide consumers with free copies of their credit report once every 12 months (upon request). These companies are also charged with promoting privacy and accuracy of consumer reporting.

You can obtain a free copy of your credit report by either requesting it in writing directly from each of the three major credit bureaus, or by using the online request system they have created. AnnualCreditReport.com is a site that is sponsored by TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian to make it fast and easy for consumers to get reports online as they fulfill their legal requirements. You may order all three credit reports from each consumer reporting agency or you may choose to order only one report at a time; either way by law you are permitted to obtain one free copy of your report per year from each of the reporting agencies.

The only information needed to obtain your free credit report is your date of birth, name, address, and social security number. Each consumer reporting agency will ask for different verifiable information only you know because each of your files have been obtained from different sources.

It is recommended that you check all three and not assume all of them to be correct if the first is, since all companies get their information from different resources; you could have an error on one and not another.

Your FICO Score

FICO is an acronym for Fair Isaac Company which was the company that originally created the system used to condense credit history into one distinct number; major credit agencies, businesses, and bank lenders have adopted this system as a means of evaluation for creditworthiness.

Ultimately, one’s credit score is determined by major factors such as amount currently owed to lenders. The general break down of how your score is determined is as follows:

• Outstanding loans, credit cards, and mortgages, and the amount owed on each (as well as the type of debt-revolving, secured, etc.) makes up about 30% of your score.

• At least 35% of your FICO score is based on how successfully you’ve repaid past debts.

• 15% of your score is based upon how long you have been utilizing credit; a lengthy credit history is of major benefit to you. This is not based on age, either-you can be middle aged with no credit if you do not take loans or use credit accounts, or you can be young with a long history of borrowing and repayment.

• 10% of your credit score is based on the amount of inquiries listed-on how many entities you sought credit from and allowed access to your credit report. Lower numbers of inquiries are better as some lenders tend to view frequent applications of credit in a specific period of time to be negative, and from the standpoint of the credit reporting agencies numerous inquiries indicate that you need to shop many sources to obtain credit.

All of these factors determine the number that makes up your credit score. This one simple number is crucial in enabling you to obtain any type of credit. Scores of 657 to 700 are considered good, and with a score of 700 or above you’re likely to be deemed creditworthy by many lenders. If you maintain a score of 600 or below, most likely you will have to invest some time and effort in order to rebuild your credit before applying for any type of loan. In addition, the higher the score the lower the cost of lending will be to you-higher scores net lower interest rates because they are considered less risky, while lower scores show some past trouble and increased risk for the lender, so when credit is offered it will be at a higher rate that allows lenders to recoup more on their loan earlier on.

Understanding credit scores can be difficult, but highly beneficial. When you know more about how banks and lenders evaluate you, and how you can confirm your good rating, you understand where you fall on the lending spectrum, and what options you have for improving your present and future financial situation.



By: Julie-Ann Amos

Checking your credit report is a very important thing for your financial status. For starters, it is important to note that the credit reporting services are numerous, and you need to be careful with them. It is very advisable to only focus on the 3credits because they are said to be the most reliable, it is easy to locate them. There are three credit bureaus which help you in checking credit scores, compiling your credit reports and basically monitoring the records on your reports.

Equifax, TransUnion and Experian are the three reporting agencies that calculate an individuals credit scores. The 3credit reports are the best so far because it is through them that an individual can get a loan approved to clear car debts, mortgages, rent and also other bills. The other types of credits like social security credits are recorded from wages that you get in a job, this credits come a long way in acquiring you benefits after retirement or disabilities.

If you are individual who does not understand the criteria involved in getting your credit score it is important to check with a financial advisor so that you can understand how to go about. The credit service providers too also offer you a great platform to ask the questions you don’t understand. Debt can occur in anytime and you will be required to produce your credit reports. The importance of this 3credit is that it is the best in detecting whether someone has stolen your identity and is managing your funds. Since the credit reporting systems are designed to give you the information on your credit on a frequent basis it will be easy to know the status of the credit. Knowing your credit score is important, the 3 credit comes in handy if you are looking to find out whether you are misusing your funds. The service providers also notify you on how well you are doing in good credit scores. The reporting services are available and at cheap prices and some with free trial periods. Conduct searches online for these services to find the best.



By: Hector Milla