How to Report to Credit When Living Abroad

With the advancements of modern technology, one may think that your credit report is something that may be easily maintained no matter where you live. This is unfortunately not the case. When living overseas, your U.S. credit report will not apply in most cases and if left inactive can cause credit woes when you return. Therefore, you will want to ensure that you are able to keep your credit rating manageable by following a few easy steps.

Instructions

1




Be sure to use your credit cards for small purchases at least once per month.

Keep your credit cards active. Do not make the mistake of closing out your credit cards simply because you are going to be living outside of the country. Lack of activity can damage your credit score. Keeping your cards active by using them for small purchases on a monthly basis will prevent this.

2




Open a post office box at a mail receiving service such as Mail Boxes Etc. before you leave.

Open a mail box at a location such as Mail Boxes Etc. or USA2ME before you move abroad. Then have your credit card bills and other financial statements sent to your mail box service address. This can be done fairly inexpensively and can pay off in the long run when it comes to maintaining your credit.

3




Be sure to notify your bank of your plans to live abroad.

Tell your bank that you are planning to live abroad. By letting the bank know in advance that you are planning to keep your accounts open, band personnel will not have cause to flag your card for suspicious usage overseas. This will help to prevent unnecessary complications.

4




Forward the mail from your post office box to your address overseas.

Have the mail from your mail box service forwarded to your address overseas. This will ensure that you are able to keep on top of your credit statements to ensure that you are able to continue to make your payments on time. This will also ensure that your statements do not become mixed up with your overseas mail.

5




Check your report annually.

Check up on your credit. If planning on living overseas for more than a period of one year, be sure to request a copy of your credit report on an annual basis. Consumers are entitled to one free copy of their credit report yearly. Doing so will ensure that your credit worthiness stays intact.