What Makes Up a Credit Report?

The Juicy Details

A credit report is a record of your credit activities. Information that makes up your credit report includes:

  • Personal identifying information - This includes your name, address (current and previous), social security number, telephone number, birth date, your current and previous employers, and (on the version you get) your spouse's name may be included as well.
  • Credit history - This section includes your bill-paying history with banks, retail stores, finance companies, mortgage companies, and others who have granted you credit. It includes information about each account you have, such as when it was opened, what type of account it is, how much credit it includes (or the amount of the loan), what your monthly payment is, etc. This section also tells if you've closed the account, the loan has been paid off, or if you missed any payments.
  • Public records - Information that might indicate your credit worthiness, such as tax liens, child support, court judgments and bankruptcies. This information is readily available for the public to access online.
  • Report inquiries - This section includes all credit granters who have received a copy of your credit report. It also includes any others who were authorized to view it. In addition, lists of companies that have received your name and address in order to offer you credit are included. These companies don't actually see your report, but get your name if you meet their criteria for an offer of credit, insurance or other product. This is where all of those "pre-approved" credit card offers come from.
  • Dispute statements - The report may also include any statements you've made disputing information on the report. Most credit bureaus allow both the consumer and the creditor to make statements to report what happened if there is a dispute about something on the report.

Things that don't appear on most credit reports include:

  • Bank account balances
  • Race
  • Religion
  • Health (although medical bills may show up as debts)
  • Criminal records
  • Income
  • Driving records
Disclaimer: The information provided in this site is not legal advice. All information is general information, some of which pertains to legal issues involved in the subject matter. Credit Matters Inc. is not a law firm and is not a substitute for an attorney or law firm. Your access to and use of this site is subject to additional terms and conditions.

*For all consumers
*For members only
*Coming Soon

 

Mortgages

  • Mortgage eligibility
  • Loan to Value
  • Mortgage Insurance
  • Rent/Leases

Insurance

  • Insurance premiums
  • Car Insurance
  • Home Owners Insurance
  • Why it matters

Employment

Interest Rates

  • Mortgages
  • Automobile
  • Credit card
  • Store Financing

 

*For all consumers
*For members only
*Coming Soon

 

How to Read a Credit Report

Obtaining Your Credit Report

Mechanics of Credit Scoring

Members Only

  • Why Credit Scores?
  • Who is FICO?
  • Fair Issac Corporation Speaks Out
  • Credit Card Debt Affects Score
  • How Do Inquiries Affect Score?
  • Different Types of Scores
  • What is a Good Credit Score?

Obtaining Your Credit Score

  • Online Vantage Scores Are Insignificant
  • Types of Scores That Matter

 

*For all consumers
*For members only

 

Credit Management Principles

  • How Many Trade Lines Should You Have
  • Recentness of Account Activity
  • Length of Payment History
  • Managing Revolving Debt - Credit Cards & Lines of Credit
  • Late Payments – What You Need to Know
  • How Inquiries Affect Your Score
  • Paying Collections or Defaulted Accounts
  • Your Debt-to-Income Ratio (DTI) Impacts Loan Approval

Credit Restoration

Establishing Positive Credit

 

*For all consumers
*For members only
*Coming Soon

 

Debt Validation

Members Only

Debt Settlement

Members Only

Credit Counseling

Members Only

About Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

  • What it is
  • How it works - rules
  • How it works - process
  • Should you file for bankruptcy?
  • Impacts of bankruptcy on your credit report and score
  • Reaffirmation - assets you want to keep
  • Common mishaps and selecting a good attorney

About Chapter 13 Bankruptcy

  • What it is
  • How it works - rules & process
  • Should you do it?
  • Impacts on credit
  • Paying off early
  • Compared to chapter 7 - pros/cons

Collection

  • How it happens
  • Your rights - FDCPA
  • Statute of Limitations - by state
  • What to do if you are harassed
  • Impact on credit
  • How they affect mortgage financing
  • Paying collections - do's and don'ts

Charge-Off & Profit/Loss

  • What it is
  • How it works
  • Impact on credit score and financing approval
  • Affect on mortgage financing
  • Paying charge offs - do's & don't

 

*For all consumers
*For members only
*Coming Soon

 

Judgment

  • What it is
  • How it happens
  • What to expect and do if you're served with a law suit
  • Impact on credit
  • Garnishments
  • Satisfaction - payoff recordings
  • Impact on real estate and mortgage financing

Tax Lien

  • What it is
  • How it affects financing
  • Impacts on credit
  • Satisfying/release - get & keep your proof

Child Support

  • What it is it?

 

*For all consumers
*For members only
*Coming Soon

 

Foreclosure

  • What it is
  • Impact on credit
  • Stopping foreclosure
  • Deficiency judgments
  • Sample letters

Repossession

  • What it is
  • How it works
  • Impact on credit
  • Deficiency judgments

 

*For all consumers
*For members only
*Coming Soon

 

Identity Theft Protection