Free Credit Report

Your credit rating is a concise picture of your present financial and credit position which allows your creditors to find out about your payment history, current debt balances, and other aspects of your financial history. The credit score is a three digit prediction generated by computer using your past history to make a forecast about your future credit-worthiness.

When you have received the credit reports it is essential that you carefully read through them and highlight any inaccurate or potentially incorrect entries. Once you have made a complete list of potential problem areas contact the agency from whom you received your report and because they are legally obligated to do so they will investigate the issues for you. You will have to provide evidence to prove that each entry listed as erroneous on your list is indeed incorrect.

The best way to do this is to contact each of these creditors listed erroneously and ask them to send to the credit bureau, with a copy also sent to you, a signed notice of error written on their letterhead and containing all the relevant details – do this and you will be making a positive step in answring your question of how to check my credit rating.

Follow this same procedure with the three credit bureaus. In addition, if you find an incorrect company identity or any other potentially harmful errors, report them as well. It is also important that you always follow-up on your requests for error corrections to be sure they have resulted in corrective action.

Also verify and request removal of any delinquent or old charges that are no longer valid, including past creditor claims of non-payment or past bankruptcy claims all of which in fact will have been paid in full. The same holds true for any other minor items or claims that are more than five years old.

Checking your credit score and keeping it accurate and at a level acceptable to lending institutions is worth the time and effort and can actually be considered an investment in your future.