How to Check Your Credit Report for Free
Your credit report is the document lenders actually use to make decisions. Here's how to get yours for free and what to look for.
You can check your credit report for free once a week from each of the three bureaus — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. The only site you need is AnnualCreditReport.com.
That's it. That's the official one. Anywhere else trying to charge you is a scam.
What you'll see
- Personal info — name, address, SSN (masked), employment history
- Credit accounts — every credit card, loan, and mortgage you've ever opened, with payment history
- Credit inquiries — everyone who's pulled your credit in the last 2 years
- Public records — bankruptcies, foreclosures, civil judgments
- Collections — accounts sent to collections agencies
What to look for
About 1 in 5 reports has an error. Check for:
- Accounts you don't recognize (possible identity theft)
- Late payments you actually paid on time
- Old negative items that should have fallen off (7 years for most, 10 for bankruptcies)
- Incorrect balances or credit limits
- Duplicate accounts
How to dispute errors
Each bureau has an online dispute process. It takes about 30 days. If they can't verify the information, they have to remove it. A clean report can boost your score significantly.
Bottom line: Pull your reports 3-6 months before applying for a mortgage. Fix any errors early.
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