Amanda Barroso is a personal finance writer who joined NerdWallet in 2021, covering credit scoring. She has also written data studies and contributed to NerdWallet's "Smart Money" podcast. Before joining the team, Amanda spent more than a decade covering issues facing many Americans, which includes her work as a writer at the Pew Research Center, a policy analyst at the National Women's Law Center and a college professor. Amanda earned a doctorate from The Ohio State University.
Assigning Editor Sheri GordonSheri Gordon is a former assigning editor on the Core Personal Finance team at NerdWallet and has edited financial content for more than 20 years. Before joining NerdWallet, Sheri was on the business and metro copy desks at the Los Angeles Times, where she worked on stories that won the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news. Sheri has edited publications on arts, culture, food, education and activism. She has also edited books on water policy, healthy living and architecture. Sheri earned a Bachelor of Arts in history at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Fact Checked Co-written by Bev O'Shea personal finance writerBev O'Shea
personal finance writer | MSN Money, Credit.com, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Orlando Sentinel
Bev O'Shea is a former NerdWallet authority on consumer credit, scams and identity theft. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Auburn University and a master's in education from Georgia State University. Before coming to NerdWallet, she worked for daily newspapers, MSN Money and Credit.com. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, MarketWatch, USA Today, MSN Money and elsewhere. Twitter: @BeverlyOShea.
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In a world where personal data is routinely breached, it makes sense to regularly check your credit information to make sure it’s accurate — and that it's not being used without your knowledge. If you have a credit freeze in place, NerdWallet recommends checking a credit report from one of the three major credit bureaus once a quarter on a rotating basis. If you don't have a freeze or are planning to apply for new credit, we recommend a monthly check.
You can get your reports for free every week from the three major credit bureaus by using AnnualCreditReport.com .
Note that your credit reports don't include your credit scores. However, you can check a TransUnion credit score and report at NerdWallet . Your information updates weekly and you can check any time you want. Checking your own credit does not affect your scores.
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Your credit reports update regularly to reflect new data the credit bureaus have received. Seeing incorrect information pop up in your credit file could suggest that it has been mixed in with someone else’s or that you have become a victim of identity theft.
Other errors, like outdated information or a payment wrongly reported late, could hurt your credit scores, which are calculated from information in your credit reports. That could affect the credit products and interest rates you qualify for.
Fixing an error could potentially build your scores.
Other times it's smart to check are before applying for a big loan and when you are looking for a job.
Get more financial clarity with NerdWallet Monitor your credit, track your spending and see all of your finances together in a single place.Your credit reports contain personally identifying information, including your birthdate, Social Security number, address, previous addresses, phone numbers, credit accounts and payment history. They may also include repossessions, collections, foreclosures and bankruptcy filings.
In addition, they have a record of who has accessed your credit information . You may see the names of your creditors, marketers (for pre-qualification offers), creditors you’ve applied to, and your own credit checks.
You can request your credit report in Spanish directly from each of the three major credit bureaus: · TransUnion : Call 800-916-8800. · Equifax : Visit the link or call 888-378-4329. · Experian : Click on the link or call 888-397-3742.
🤓 Consejo Nerdy Usted puede solicitar una copia de su informe crediticio (gratis y en español) de cada una de las tres principales agencias de crédito: · TransUnion : Llame al 800-916-8800. · Equifax : Visite el enlace o llame al 888-378-4329. · Experian : Haga clic en el enlace o llame al 888-397-3742.
Your credit reports are not the only collections of personal data that businesses look at when deciding whether to accept you as a customer and at what rate. Insurers , employers , banks, landlords , utilities and subprime lenders may check specialty reports.
You have a right to a free copy of those reports, as well. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau keeps a list of available reports and recommends checking them as needed.
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Amanda covers consumer credit and debt at NerdWallet. She previously worked at the Pew Research Center and earned a doctorate at The Ohio State University. See full bio.
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Bev O'Shea is a freelance writer and a former NerdWallet staff member who specializes in consumer credit, scams and identity theft. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, MarketWatch and elsewhere. See full bio.
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Disclaimer: NerdWallet strives to keep its information accurate and up to date. This information may be different than what you see when you visit a financial institution, service provider or specific product's site. All financial products, shopping products and services are presented without warranty. When evaluating offers, please review the financial institution's Terms and Conditions. Pre-qualified offers are not binding. If you find discrepancies with your credit score or information from your credit report, please contact TransUnion® directly.
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