With this being a New Year, I wanted to remind everyone to check on their credit reports. Remember, you are entitled to one free credit report annually. So, take advantage of that by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com
When you get your credit report, check for things such as:
If you notice that any of this information is missing or is listed incorrectly, be certain to contact the credit bureau right away. Even the smallest detail can have a large impact on your overall credit rating. So, don’t let any information remain as is if it isn’t correct.
After you send a request to the credit reporting agency to make a change to your credit report, they will have 30 days to investigate the situation. If they find there is a mistake, they’ll make the changes and send you a new credit report. Also, if you make a change with just one of the credit reporting agencies, that agency will report the change to the other two. So, don’t worry about contacting all three if you find the same mistake on all of them.
If the credit reporting agency determines that your report does not need to be changed, they must send you notification that your credit report will remain unchanged. But, you have the right to add a little “blurb” to be added to your report that will explain your side of the story. Be sure to take advantage of this option. It could really help you in the long run.
So, as a part of your New Year’s Resolution, resolve to keep a better eye on your financial situation and order your free credit report at the beginning of every year.
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