How to Get Your Credit Score

Three national credit bureaus can provide you with your credit score. These are Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. With your score, you will also get your credit report, which tells you how your score ranks nationally and explains how you can improve it.

It is wise to get your score from all three bureaus, because each may have somewhat different information about you. This depends on the companies that have reported on your accounts. Many companies report to the bureaus in their region. Not all companies report, as it is optional. Having all three scores also helps, because mortgage lenders consider all three scores and take the middle score to determine eligibility. Therefore, it is good that you know your middle score.

Equifax offers actual FICO scores, which can be purchased online. TransUnion and Experian sell their own brands, which are comparable to FICO scores. The Experian score is also available online, while the TransUnion score is available online, by email, and in some situations, by phone.

There are certain cases that can grant you a free credit report. If you were denied credit, you can get a free report from the bureau that supplied the information in the first place. Further, some states grant residents the right to a free credit report at least once yearly. The credit score is not necessarily offered free of charge. With TransUnion, however, your score is always included in your report-free or not.