What is on Your Credit Report?

Your credit report is a very important piece of the puzzle in your financial picture. It contains a historical record of your personal and financial information including a listing of your current and past debts and the timeliness of your payments. The information contained on your credit report is looked at by many people including lenders, credit card companies, landlords, telephone and cable companies just to name a few. These companies use your credit report to evaluate your reliability and creditworthiness.

With all of these people knowing what is on your credit report - shouldn't you? Knowing what is on your credit report can save you from unexpected surprises the next time you apply for a loan. Insuring the accuracy of your credit report is also very important. All too often people have found errors on their credit report that were damaging their credit score. Many times people have even been alerted to attempted identity theft by keeping an eye on their credit report.

There are several options when it comes to obtaining a copy of your credit report. For a fee, you can request a copy directly from the credit bureaus. However, with so many free routes that can be taken, there is really no need to pay to receive a copy of your credit report. There are many companies available that will provide you with a copy free of charge. Visit http://www.credit-report-credit-score.com to get a free copy of your credit report and to learn more about managing credit and debt.

Here is what you can expect to see on your credit report. There are four basic sections to the report which are broken down below:

1. Your personal information such as your name, social security number, date of birth, drivers license number, address and telephone number,br> 2. Your credit history which contains a listing of all open and closed credit lines including the original amount of the loan as well as the current balance on the loan, the type of loan (credit card, department store credit, mortgage etc.), the status of the loan whether it is active or closed, and the timeliness of your payments
3. A public records listing that includes any tax liens foreclosures, bankruptcies or judgments filed
4. A listing of inquiries made on your credit report by potential lenders who pull your credit report when considering issuing you a loan or credit card.

If you do find errors on your credit report they can be disputed and corrected. Be aware that this may take some time. That is why it is always recommended to stay on top of things and know what is on your credit report. Being alert and informed will help insure that nothing sneaks its way on to your credit report.

-------------------------
Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the authors bio paragraph at the bottom of this article is included, the article is published "as is" (unedited) and all URL's are made active hyperlinks with no syntax changes.
-------------------------

This article was written by Beth Pardue who has over 10 years of experience in the financial industry assisting clients with assorted financial needs. To learn more about credit reports or to get a free credit report online please visit: http://www.credit-report-credit-score.com

---

Credit Report ? Watch Out for Parking Tickets

The economic downturn of the last five years has affected millions of Americans, but it has also affected the budgets of states, cities and counties. With limited... Read More

Dont Fall For A Scheme When Trying To Rebuild Your Credit History

For people with a spotty credit history or bad credit, getting approved for a standard credit card can be difficult, if not impossible.There are a number of... Read More

Debt Collection Agencies

Debt collection agencies are often a viable option for receiving payment on overdue bills. Here you can earn how debt collection agencies work and what to look... Read More

How To Boost Your Credit Score

Years ago your credit score was a big secret, known only to a select few such as your mortgage and credit card companies. In 2000, Fair, Isaac... Read More

Watch Out For Credit Repairs

It is very easy to find a site that is neat, professional-looking, and one that offers a free three-agency credit report and free credit report without a... Read More

How to Dispute Credit Report Errors

Your credit report--a type of consumer report--contains information about where you work and live and how you pay your bills. It also may show whether you've been... Read More

Credit Card Shocker

Have you ever looked at your credit card statement? I'm not talking about just making sure that all the transactions are correct. I'm talking about looking at... Read More

Avoiding ID Theft and Credit Fraud

Article excerpted from the new book, "How to Do Space Age Work with a Stone Age Brain" TM copyright 2004, all rights reserved, by Eve Abbott, the... Read More

Why Is It important!

Your credit is the most important thing you have other than your breathe. There are three types of people in this world. There are those who have... Read More

10 Tips To Prevent Credit Card Fraud

Imagine opening your credit card statement one morning and discovering to your horror that you suddenly owe thousands of dollars - on purchases that you never made.Impossible?Credit... Read More

Fair Credit Reporting Act: What You Should Know About It?

The Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is designated to promote accuracy, fairness, and privacy of information in the files of every "consumer reporting agency" (CRA) or... Read More

How You Can Help Prevent Identity Theft

How can I prevent Identity theft from happening to me? Never leave your receipt or slip in the ATM or gas pump. Pay attention to your habits,... Read More

Comprehending a Credit Report

Obtaining a credit report is an excellent way to begin taking control of your financial future. It's recommended that you review your credit report once a year,... Read More

How Businesss Mess Up Their Credit Policies

In "Become the Squeaky Wheel" a book recently published, Michelle Dunn demonstrates the major areas a business should focus on to ensure a satisfactory customer experience.One mistake... Read More

Bank Robbery Growing In U.S.

Bank robbery has grown to become a huge problem in the United States but I am not talking about people robbing banks. I am talking about banks... Read More

5 Killer Steps to avoid Credit Card SCAMS!

In August, 2004, the Federal Trade Commission issued their findings of a recent study, which showed that nearly 25 million adults were victims of fraud.Now, most importantly,... Read More

SuperCharged Secret 4, Credit Card Utopia

YOU SCRATCH MY BACK, AND I'LL BUY SOME MORE BEER!Let's just take a brief moment to recap:If you've been following along on this journey with me, learning... Read More

Choosing the Best Low Interest Credit Card

With so many low interest credit cards on offer, how do you know which one to choose? Here is a brief guide for choosing your low interest... Read More

The Ghost of Expected Surprises

Here, Cratchet, what do you think you're doing?Uh, er, leaving sir.Leaving? It's 5 minutes to the hour. Shall I dock your pay accordingly.Uh, er, no sir.No sir?... Read More

Credit Cards: What is the Universal Default Clause?

Most people who carry major credit cards are well aware that the interest rates associated with them tend to be higher than for other types of lending,... Read More

Collection Agencies: What Do They Do?

Collection agencies are businesses that collect past-due bills and accounts receivable for other persons or businesses in exchange for a fee. Collection agencies charge for their services... Read More

Bankruptcy vs. Credit Counseling: What Should I Do?

Credit Counseling and bankruptcy are both ways to relieve the stress of debt. However, they are very different and it is important to understand both before making... Read More

Beware of Falling Minimum Payments

If you opened a credit card statement recently and were pleasantly surprised to find that your minimum payment due was lowered, don't be so quick to "jump... Read More

Warning: Todays Non Profit Credit Counselors Are Yesterdays Bill Collectors!

Here's a dirty secret, today's "non profit credit counselors" are often just front organizations paid lucrative commissions by creditors to keep consumers from declaring bankruptcy!In the "debt... Read More

Is it Safe to Use Online Car Finance?

Online car finance is convenient. You can apply over the net and shop around for a good deal from the comfort of your home.But with the rise... Read More

Bad Credit Loans For Those Who Seek Alternatives for New or Old Car

You can still save money on a Bad Credit Loan by comparing rates, checking out multiple policies, and negotiating with lenders.Getting a Bad Credit Loan doesn't have... Read More