Your credit history is important to a lot of people: mortgage lenders, banks, utility companies, prospective employers, and more. So, it's especially important that you understand your credit report, credit score, and the companies that compile that information, credit bureaus. Find answers to some of the most common, and most important, questions about credit, provided by the Federal Reserve Board.
Your Credit Report
Q: What is a credit report?
A: A credit report is a record of your credit history that includes information about:
- Your identity. Your name, address, full or partial Social Security number, date of birth, and possibly employment information.
- Your existing credit. Information about credit that you have, such as your credit card accounts, mortgages, car loans, and student loans. It may also include the terms of your credit, how much you owe your creditors, and your history of making payments.
- Your public record. Information about any court judgments against you, any tax liens against your property, or whether you have filed for bankruptcy.
- Inquiries about you. A list of companies or persons who recently requested a copy of your report.
Q: Why is a credit report important?
A: Your credit report is important because lenders, insurers, employers, and others may obtain your credit report from credit bureaus to assess how you manage financial responsibilities. For example:
- Lenders may use your credit report information to decide whether you can get a loan and the terms you get for a loan (for example, the interest rate they will charge you).
- Insurance companies may use the information to decide whether you can get insurance and to set the rates you will pay.
- Employers may use your credit report, if you give them permission to do so, to decide whether to hire you.
- Telephone and utility companies may use information in your credit report to decide whether to provide services to you.
- Landlords may use the information to determine whether to rent an apartment to you.
Q: Who collects and reports credit information about me?
A: There are three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — that gather and maintain the information about you that is included in your credit report. The credit bureaus then provide this information in the form of a credit report to companies or persons that request it, such as lenders from whom you are seeking credit.
Q: Where do credit bureaus get their information?
A: Credit bureaus get information from your creditors, such as a bank, credit card issuer, or auto finance company. They also get information about you from public records, such as property or court records. Each credit bureau gets its information from different sources, so the information in one credit bureau's report may not be the same as the information in another credit bureau's report.
Q: How can I get a free copy of my credit report?
A: You can get one free credit report every twelve months from each of the nationwide credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com or calling (877) 322-8228.
You will need to provide certain information to access your report, such as your name, address, Social Security number, and date of birth.
You can order one, two, or all three reports at the same time, or you can request these reports at various times throughout the year. The option you choose will depend on the goal of your review. A report generated by one of the three major credit bureaus may not contain all of the information pertaining to your credit history. Therefore, if you want a complete view of your credit record at a particular moment, you should examine your report from each bureau at the same time. However, if you wish to detect any errors and monitor changes in your credit profile over time, you may wish to review a single credit report every four months.
To learn more tips for managing your credit, visit www.federalreserve.gov.
Historia yako ya mkopo ni muhimu kwa watu wengi: wakopeshaji wa mkopo wa nyumba, benki, makampuni ya huduma, waajiri wa baadaye, na zaidi. Kwa hiyo, ni muhimu sana kwamba uelewe ripoti yako ya mkopo, alama ya mkopo, na makampuni ambayo hukusanya habari hiyo, ofisi za mkopo. Kupata majibu ya baadhi ya maswali ya kawaida na muhimu zaidi kuhusu mikopo, zinazotolewa na Bodi ya Fedha ya Shirikisho. Ripoti yako ya Mikopo: Ripoti ya Mikopo ni nini? Ripoti ya mkopo ni rekodi ya historia yako ya mkopo ambayo inajumuisha habari kuhusu: Jina lako, anwani, nambari yako ya usalama wa kijamii, tarehe ya kuzaliwa, na labda habari za ajira. - Mikopo yako iliyopo. Habari kuhusu mikopo yako, kama vile akaunti zako za kadi za mkopo, mikopo ya nyumba, mikopo ya magari, na mikopo ya wanafunzi. Pia, unaweza kuwa na maelezo ya jinsi unavyoweza kukopesha, kiasi unachokopesha kwa wakopeshaji, na historia ya malipo. - Rekodi yako ya umma. Habari kuhusu hukumu yoyote ya mahakama dhidi yako, yoyote ya kodi ya dhamana dhidi ya mali yako, au kama umewasilisha kwa ajili ya kufilisika. - Maombi kuhusu wewe. Orodha ya kampuni au watu ambao hivi karibuni waliomba nakala ya ripoti yako. Swali: Kwa nini ripoti ya mkopo ni muhimu? Ripoti yako ya mkopo ni muhimu kwa sababu wakopeshaji, wajasiriamali, waajiri, na wengine wanaweza kupata ripoti yako ya mkopo kutoka kwa ofisi za mkopo ili kutathmini jinsi unavyoweza kusimamia majukumu ya kifedha. Kwa mfano: - Wakopeshaji wanaweza kutumia taarifa yako ya ripoti ya mkopo kuamua kama unaweza kupata mkopo na masharti ya kupata kwa mkopo (kwa mfano, kiwango cha riba watakuomba). Kampuni za bima zinaweza kutumia habari hiyo kuamua kama unaweza kupata bima na kuweka viwango utakavyolipa. Waajiri wanaweza kutumia ripoti yako ya mkopo, ikiwa unatoa ruhusa ya kufanya hivyo, kuamua kama kukuajiri. Kampuni za simu na huduma zinaweza kutumia habari katika ripoti yako ya mkopo ili kuamua kama kutoa huduma kwako. - Wamiliki wa nyumba wanaweza kutumia habari hiyo kuamua kama kukukodisha nyumba. Q: Ni nani anayekusanya na kuripoti habari za mkopo kuhusu mimi? Kuna makampuni matatu makubwa ya mikopo - Equifax, Experian, na TransUnion - ambayo hukusanya na kudumisha habari kuhusu wewe ambayo ni pamoja na katika ripoti yako ya mkopo. Ofisi za mkopo hutoa taarifa hii kwa namna ya ripoti ya mkopo kwa makampuni au watu wanaotaka, kama vile wakopeshaji ambao unatafuta mkopo. Q: Wakala wa mikopo hupata wapi habari zao? Kwa mfano, kampuni ya mkopo inaweza kupata habari kutoka kwa wakopeshaji wako, kama vile benki, mtoaji wa kadi ya mkopo, au kampuni ya fedha ya magari. Pia wanapata habari kuhusu wewe kutoka kwa rekodi za umma, kama vile mali au rekodi za mahakama. Kila ofisi ya mkopo hupata habari kutoka vyanzo tofauti, kwa hivyo habari katika ripoti ya ofisi moja ya mkopo inaweza kuwa tofauti na habari katika ripoti ya ofisi nyingine ya mkopo. Jinsi ya kupata nakala ya bure ya ripoti yangu ya mkopo? Unaweza kupata ripoti moja ya mkopo kila baada ya miezi 12 kutoka kwa kila moja ya ofisi za mkopo za kitaifa - Equifax, Experian, na TransUnion - kwa kutembelea www.annualcreditreport.com au kupiga simu (877) 322-8228 Unahitaji kutoa taarifa fulani ili ufikie ripoti yako, kama vile jina lako, anwani, nambari ya usalama wa kijamii, na tarehe ya kuzaliwa. Unaweza kuagiza ripoti moja, mbili, au zote tatu kwa wakati mmoja, au unaweza kuomba ripoti hizi wakati mbalimbali katika mwaka. Chaguo unalochagua litategemea lengo la ukaguzi wako. Ripoti ya moja ya ofisi tatu kuu za mkopo inaweza kuwa na habari nyingi kuhusu historia yako ya mkopo. Kwa hivyo, ikiwa unataka kuona rekodi yako ya mkopo kwa wakati fulani, unapaswa kuchunguza ripoti yako kutoka kwa kila ofisi kwa wakati mmoja. Hata hivyo, kama unataka kugundua makosa yoyote na kufuatilia mabadiliko katika profile yako ya mikopo kwa muda, unaweza kutaka kukagua ripoti moja ya mikopo kila baada ya miezi minne. Ili kupata maelezo zaidi kuhusu jinsi ya kuhifadhi na kuhifadhi fedha, tembelea www.federalreserve.gov.