With so much of our information being on-line these days, the risk of our identities being stolen is higher than it has ever been. Did you know that you can request a free copy of your credit report annually?
Where is the best place to go to get a credit report?
- www.annualcreditreport.com
- This is the only place authorized by federal law and it’s free.
- There are other services out there, but this one is what I recommend.
What information will a person need to supply?
- Name, address, former address and SSN.
- You will need to answer questions about your past.
There are three credit reports. Can a person get all three?
- Yes, TransUnion, Equifax and Experian.
Should I get all three at the same time?
- I would spread them out over the course of a year.
- Since you can request one per year, I would get one now, one 4 months from now and the last one in eight months from now.
- Especially important if you are having fraud issue.
Will it show me my credit score?
- Unfortunately, it will not. You have to pay a fee to that information.
What will it show?
- Names, addresses, phone numbers and employers associated with your accounts.
- Any information reported by companies
- Mortgages, loans, credit cards
- Balances for the last number of years
- Shows on time payments and late payments
- Shows accounts opened and closed.
What if I find some incorrect information?
- Initiate a dispute right on the website
- Credit freeze
Be sure to talk to a tax professional if you have any questions about credit reports.
As a partner, I have thorough experience providing tax services to individuals, privately held businesses, nonprofit entities and estates and trusts. I also provide compilation and review services.
