subject: What You Should Know About Your Free Credit Bureau Score [print this page] What You Should Know About Your Free Credit Bureau Score
If you are planning to apply for a home or auto loan, you should check your credit score first. Major purchases and loans such as home and auto loans require a good, if not high, credit score. This is why it is important to know your credit score first before you even decide to buy a car or a house. Although there are lenders and financial institutions that accept applications from people with bad credit, you would still be better off if you have a good or excellent credit score. Fortunately, you can get your free credit bureau score from each of the three credit bureaus namely; TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian.
According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you are entitled to one free credit bureau report from each of these major credit reporting agencies every year. You can also obtain your credit scores along with your free reports. You do not need to pay a certain amount just to know what your score is and to get a copy of your credit report because it is written under the law that the credit bureaus should give you your credit report for free if you ask for it. All you need to do is ask.
If you want to know some important things about your free credit bureau score, you need to check out the following information.
You can get your free credit bureau score by calling the credit bureau's number or sending them a fax message. You can also write them a letter. You can get their contact details from their official website or you can check out your old credit reports. You can also get your credit score from websites that can access credit scores from these credit reporting agencies. However, you have to be 100 % sure that the websites are reliable. You do not want to give out your personal details to an unreliable website that will only use your information for their fraudulent activities.
Like what was mentioned in the first few paragraphs, it would be easier for you to apply for loans if you have a good or excellent credit score because it shows that you are a responsible payer. Aside from that, you can also get lower interest rates from these lenders and financial institutions since they see you as a low-risk customer who will not run off with their money. They usually give high interest rates to people with bad credit as a kind of guarantee in the event that the borrower ends up not paying his loan.
There are a few things that you can do to improve your free credit bureau score. The best thing that you can do is to avoid borrowing or spending more than you can afford. You should also pay your bills on time. Do not go over your limit or budget. It is also important to pay off your debt in full and not just the minimum to avoid ending up way in over your head with debt. Finally, communicate with your bank or lender if there is a problem. Small things like these will prevent further damages to your credit standing.
