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Your credit information is an important part of your financial identity. Without good credit, you will find it difficult to get a home loan, an auto loan or even a credit card. It is very important that you keep a close eye on your credit, as well. Identity theft is a booming industry and it can affect almost anyone. In addition, the number of false accounts that are applied to consumer credit reports each year is staggering. Your annual credit report will allow you to monitor your credit, dispute items that are incomplete or inaccurate and ensure that your credit score is where it should be.
How do you find your annual credit report? There are several choices available for your needs. For instance, you can visit AnnualCreditReport.com, the website operated by all three major credit bureaus. This is the best place to go if you want your annual credit report, but do not want to pay a fee for that information. In addition, you should understand that your credit report does not contain your credit score – you will have to pay for that information. Your second choice is to use an information aggregate website. Quite a few of these exist, but they all operate in a similar fashion.
These websites offer you access to your annual credit report any time you wish, throughout the year, in exchange for a membership fee. While AnnualCreditReport.com gives you one annual credit report from each of the three credit bureaus, an aggregate website allows you to have access to fresh credit reports any time you might need it. This is an excellent option for numerous consumers, but particularly for those experiencing a high incidence of inaccurate or incomplete account information on their credit report.
Your annual credit report is an important tool and should be used wisely. If you choose to get a free copy of your credit report, you will have two choices – to get all three copies at once, or to stagger them across the year. By staggering the delivery of your reports, you can maintain a closer eye on the information that goes on your report, but getting all three at once is also a good choice. Because each credit report may contain different information, getting all three credit reports will give you the most complete picture of your credit history and current standings.