credit reporting

If or when you find errors on your credit report, there are two basic methods you can use to get them corrected: contact the credit bureau, or contacting the creditor.

Ever wondered why your credit report information and 3 credit scores vary?  If you have ever looked in detail at the your credit report information and 3 credit scores from each of the three credit reporting agencies, you know that your credit report information and 3 credit scores can and usually do vary. If you wondered why, here is the simple answer:

So what is a credit report anyway? Simply put, a credit report is a snapshot of your credit history (credit and loan applications, credit cards, loans and mortgages) and contains your history of making or not making payments on time. It is also contains a limited set of public information about you.

One of the first steps to truly understanding your credit and your credit report is to get a good feel for what makes up your FICO credit score.  The main thing you need to know is that your FICO credit score is made up of five major components each with their own weight and impact on your score.  From the graph and explainations below, you will see how the different components affect your credit score:

What information goes on my credit report?  Many people have an unrealistic view of what a credit report actually contains.  They think that it mysteriously contains intimate information about their personal life like how much they drink.  If you ever wondered what goes on my credit report, let me clarify by outlining the major bits of information that make up your credit report:

Below you will find the contact information for the three credit agencies ( three credit reporting agencies or an individual credit agency).