How to Get a Credit Report for Free

Since 2003 when the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act became active, every person has the right to receive his credit report for free. You can use this free report to determine whether your credit's good enough to get a loan or if you need to take steps to repair your credit.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Find a reputable website that offers to give you a copy of your credit report for free. You don't want to give out your personal information to just anyone, so make sure it's a legitimate site. Many people use the AnnualCreditReport.com site to receive their free credit report.
2. Fill out all requested information on the site. You'll need to give your full name, date of birth, social security number and current address to receive your free credit report.
3. Receive your electronic credit report from the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) after submitting your information. Instead of having to fill out a form for each site, you can get all three from AnnualCreditReport.com.
4. Get a copy of your free credit report each year. Under the act, you're allowed one free report from the credit bureaus every 12 months. To get more frequent reports, you may have to pay a fee.

Tips & Warnings

• In certain instances, you can receive a free credit report without waiting a full year. Examples include: if you're denied a loan, insurance rate change, or need to complete an unemployment application.
• You'll find specific details on your free credit report about your financial history. The report includes credit payment history, defaulted loans and late payments.