Check Credit Status

Owning credit cards, loans, bank accounts, car loans, mortgages, or having a utility account means not only maintaining those accounts by making on time payments; it also means there is a necessity to pay attention to those credit situations. Looking into a person's credit history is a common practice that is processed by obtaining a credit report. A credit report contains information pertaining to payment history, types of credit, outstanding credit, new credit, and banking history. A person with a credit history, especially today, needs to keep a close watch on personal credit status. Credit status can be checked with any one or all of the three credit reporting agencies. The credit reporting agencies are Transunion, Experian and Equifax. The annual credit report website gives access to everyone needing a credit report. The service to obtain the credit report at annual credit report is free; this web site is a federal government website that gives credit reports from all three credit bureaus. The FICO and Beacon systems are the methods used to determine a person's credit score. The FICO and Beacon scoring system are actually the same system, only they are referred to by different names by different credit reporting agencies. The FICO (fair Isaac company) system is the original credit scoring system started in 1958. Scores for the fico system currently range from 300 to 850, however standards are changing and future scoring will differ. The fico scoring system only looks at information on the credit report. Potential lenders look for other credit related activity. Getting a credit report helps to keep tabs on activities, past and present. Also, a credit report helps to check for credit inaccuracies. Inaccuracies on a credit report going unnoticed can cause many future difficulties. Inaccuracies can hinder one from obtaining any type of credit cards, loans or mortgages. Additionally, a person may be held accountable for a negative credit situation that was not created by that person; which can cause great hardship. To remove a negative credit issue a person should; request verification of the negative credit item- this is done by contacting the credit reporting agency. The agency must send the consumer a report as to the accuracy of the negative item within 15 days.