How to Report Debt to a Credit Bureau
Your credit report should reflect an accurate picture of your payment history, but not all creditors report to the credit bureaus. While most major creditors supply information to credit-reporting agencies, smaller creditors like local retailers, credit unions, gasoline merchants, and medical offices often do not. Consider a few steps to report your debts to the credit bureaus.
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Things You'll Need
- Credit report
- List of all debts (including account numbers, original and current balances, and monthly payments)
Instructions
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Get your current credit report by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com, the official site to obtain your free online credit report from the three nationwide credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Print the reports from each of the credit bureaus.
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Compare your list of debts with each credit report and check for errors. If you notice inconsistencies, fill out dispute forms online with each of the credit bureaus.
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For debts that do not appear on your credit report, contact each creditor to request that your accounts be added to each of the three credit-reporting agencies.
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Contact all three credit bureaus to request that your unreported debts be added to your credit file. Make sure you keep copies of all correspondence, and never send original documentation.
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Tips & Warnings
You might want to add a consumer statement on your credit report to explain any negative accounts or clarifications. Your statement remains on your credit report until you request its removal, and lenders could take your statement into consideration when granting credit. Also, remember to keep the credit bureaus updated with your most current personal information.
It might cost you to add accounts to your credit report, as credit bureaus are not required to add verifiable debts to your credit report. Also, not all creditors report to all three nationwide credit agencies, so make sure you and your creditors contact each bureau.
