How to Get and Use Your Free Annual Credit Reports

Get what you are entitled to

Photo by Jan Huber on Unsplash

Your credit report is a vital report that can significantly impact your financial life. It shows lenders, landlords, and others your credit history, including key items such as your payment history and credit utilization. If you are planning to apply for a loan, mortgage, or any form of credit, your credit report will play a significant role in determining whether you get approved or not, and at what interest rate.

For this reason, it’s essential to keep tabs on your credit report to ensure that everything is accurate. You can access your credit report for free once a year from each of the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian) through AnnualCreditReport.com.

Here’s how to get and use your free annual credit reports:

Step 1: Go to AnnualCreditReport.com

AnnualCreditReport.com is the only website authorized by the government to provide free credit reports. Beware of other websites that claim to offer free credit reports but may end up charging you for services or subscriptions.

Step 2: Enter your personal information

Once you are on the AnnualCreditReport.com homepage, click on the “Request your free credit reports” button, then fill in your personal details, such as your name, date of birth, Social Security number, and current address. The site uses this information to verify your identity and ensure that you’re the only one accessing your credit report.

Step 3: Select the credit bureau(s) you want to receive a report from

After verifying your identity, you can select which credit bureau(s) you want to receive a report from. You can get reports from all three bureaus at once or choose one at a time throughout the year.

Step 4: Verify additional security questions

To ensure that nobody else can access your credit report, you will be asked additional security questions that only you should know the answers to. These questions might be based on your past addresses, loans, or other financial information.

Step 5: View and save your report(s)