Checking on your credit will give you a detailed description of your current credit situation. The report will contain the names of creditors, account numbers, dates credit was issued, current balances and more. Despite advertisements that make it appear as though you must go through a third party to get a copy of your credit report, all you need to do is go online, call or write the credit reporting agencies to obtain your report.

You Have The Right To Your Report

All three major credit reporting agencies are required by law to provide consumers with a free credit report once every 12 months if it is requested, according to MSN.com. The credit reporting agencies, Equifax, TransUnion and Experian, will not send out these reports automatically. Choose the method that is easiest for you to request the reports and you will receive them in a short time.

Telephone

One way to request your credit reports is to call each reporting agency and ask them to send it to you. Be ready to answer a few questions for identification purposes and have your Social Security number available. Call Equifax at (800) 685-1111; Experian at (888) 397-3742; and TransUnion at (800) 888-4213, according to "Common Sense Money Management" by Jim Mooney.

Online

Another option that many people find simpler is to request their credit report online. Lots of websites will offer to obtain your credit report for you, but only one is an authorized source, according to MSN.com. Visit www.AnnualCreditReport.com and select your state in the drop-down menu in the center of the page and follow the directions to request the reports. The process is self-explanatory and will only take a short time.

Snail Mail

For those who are uncomfortable submitting personal information over the Internet and wish to check on their credit via the U.S. Postal Service, you will have to fill out a form available from the same website that you can request the report electronically. The form can be downloaded as a printable PDF file called the "Annual Credit Report Request Form" Visit www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/order?mail and click on the "request form" link. Mail your completed form to: Annual Credit Report Request Service P.O. Box 105281 Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

Children's Credit

The credit reporting agencies do not maintain credit files on children, but if you suspect your child's identity has been used to obtain credit fraudulently and he is younger than age 13, you should contact each credit reporting agency by telephone. During the process you will have to identify the child by providing a complete name, address, date of birth and copies of the child's birth certificate and Social Security card.

Source:

MSN: How to get a credit report for free

Annual Credit Report: Request your free annual credit report

"Common Sense Money Management" Jim Mooney; 2009