FREE Credit Report and why you should look

Today’s post is very important and one that you really should take interest in and follow. I will be talking about credit reports, what’s on your credit report, and how things could affect you in the long run. I am not one to judge or say I am prefect or that my credit is perfect. I have had issues in the past, ran from creditors, and pretended bills that I couldn’t pay didn’t exist. Of course this wouldn’t be a budget post if I didn’t tell you how to get your credit report for FREE…….

The law states that everyone should have access to their credit report and what is on it. You can go to www.annualcreditreport.com and get your credit report from the three major credit bureaus for FREE once a year. You should also look at your Chex Systems and Telecheck reports. These two places handle all of your banking reports, such as who you have banked with in the past and if you have any accounts that are in negative status, or if you have ever written a bad check, things like that. You can get those reports by going directly to their websites.

Chexsystems is https://www.consumerdebit.com/consumerinfo/us/en/chexsystems/report/index.htm 

Telechecks is http://www.firstdata.com/telecheck/telecheck-request-file-report.htm

Why does this matter? Well your credit information is attached to your social security number. Your credit report is a good indication if you have been a victim of identity theft. The information shared on your report can keep you from getting a job, credit from a merchant, insurance, or a place to live. Making sure you have a good credit number can save hassle and heartache later on if you need to buy a new car, or a house, or whatever reason you may need a good credit score.

Did you know the collection companies have laws that they are supposed to follow when they report information or when they contact you about a debt? The Fair Debt Collection Protection Act was created to keep collection companies from harassing you or using deceptive means to collect a debt. Sadly many people do not know they have rights and bill collectors know this so they just ignore the law. I suggest becoming familiar with this law and how it can help you if you are dealing with bill collectors.

You are also allowed to have access to your credit report free of charge if you are denied credit or a job because of what is on your report. Below are links to the three bureaus to request those reports.

If you do not like what is on your report or disagree with it, or just want to know more about credit reports and how to build and maintain good credit I suggest an amazing website (also FREE to use) called CreditBoards. You can find the site at http://creditboards.com/forums/

EXPERIAN: http://www.experian.com/credit-advice/topic-get-credit-report.html
EQUIFAX: https://aa.econsumer.equifax.com/aad/landing.ehtml
TRANSUNION: https://disclosure.transunion.com