3 Things to Check On Your Credit Report

Your credit report is one of the most important documents of your life. It’s like your financial permanent record. Nearly everything you do with money follows you around on your credit report for future creditors and lenders to see and judge you by. You should look at your credit report at least once a year to make sure everything’s being recorded correctly. Here are three things you should check when you review your credit report.

It’s your report. Check the name, current and previous addresses, and current and previous employers. Confirm that the correct names are associated with your social security number. Married women may see their maiden names on their credit reports. But, if you’re a Jr. or Sr., make sure the correct one appears on your report.

The accounts are yours. Look through each account to be sure it’s yours. Mistakes have been known to happen, putting the wrong credit card accounts on the wrong credit reports. If you find an account that doesn’t belong to you, dispute it with the credit bureaus. If you find multiple inaccurate accounts, you may have been a victim of identity theft. In that case, you should file a fraud alert with the credit bureaus.

Your payment history is correct. Each account lists the number of delinquencies you have in your payment history. For example, one of your accounts might say “30 days late, one time” or “charged-off.” Delinquent payment history is negative and can only be reported for seven years. If the late payments are inaccurate or the reporting time limit has passed, you can dispute the information with the credit bureau.


When you order your credit report, it will have instructions on disputing negative information. Make sure you send your dispute in writing and save a copy for yourself. Expect to receive a response from the credit bureau within 30-45 days.