How to Read Your Credit Bureau Report

July 12, 2008

You have gone to great lengths to obtain a Credit Bureau Report and you do not know the first thing about how to interpret it. Sound like you? Thats fine because youre among many and in the right spot to get some answers. Unless you know what you’re looking for, a credit bureau report can look like a big jumble of numbers, which is why some information to help you decipher your credit bureau report is listed below.

Credit Bureau

Credit bureaus collect and collate personal information and financial data on individuals and businesses from a wide variety of sources including financial data furnishers with which the bureaus have a relationship. Data furnishers are businesses, utilities, debt collection agencies, public institutions, and the courts that a consumer has had a relationship with.

General Personal Information

Within your reports are all types of information pertaining to your credit, as well as personal information, which you should first look at. Make sure all of this information is accurate and up-to-date. Examine all areas including your name, address, contact information etc. Your job history and criminal background are outlined in a Credit Bureau Report. Other places buy your credit report so that they can cross-reference you in hopes of giving you a loan, new account and so on, which is why this information is made available.

List of Active Credit Accounts

The list of accounts section will show you all of the credit accounts in your name that are currently open. Everything you expect will be on here, along with a few things that are so far into your past they were long forgotten. All types of credit will be listed here including credit cards, personal loans and mortgages amongst others. Student loans, rental properties and other things might show up on your account also. There will be a section in which it will list for how long you have had each account along with an overview. It is especially important to pay close attention to this area, as errors can often be present in the more detailed portion.

History of Credit Account Standing

Here is the important part of the credit report. In your bureau credit reports, you will see each account listed, along with the payment history for that account. In this section of the report, you can see any missed payments or late payments. They will also list any sort of delinquency that is associated with various accounts. When you go under review for a new line of credit or a new account, this is the section that will be scrutinized the greatest. Here, you will also find that the total balance of each account will be listed for people to review.

The Credit Score

The purpose of attaining your credit report is to understand your credit score. Your credit score is the most important factor when trying to qualify for a loan. In fact, it will likely be the deciding factor in approving your loan or rejecting it. This number will appear at the end of your credit report. The average number is usually between 500 and 800 and is dependent on how well you have handled your credit agreements previously.

Source: http://www.istockanalyst.com