Annual Credit History

Your credit history can change at any time. Creditors and credit bureaus are able to update and delete information as often as they deem necessary. While you are entitled to one free credit report from each consumer bureau annually, you should check your credit more often than once a year.

Credit Report Monitoring

Credit bureaus are constantly receiving information from both creditors and public records searches. If there is a change in your credit behavior or someone has filed a lawsuit against you, a credit bureau can list this information in your credit report. Sometimes, the information added to your report isn't even yours, but gets added by mistake, so it is a good idea to keep regular tabs on what's in your credit reports.

Credit Report Access

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), you can request a copy of your credit report from the issuing bureaus at any time. You can get one free report every 12 months, though you may have to pay for additional reports throughout the year. To order your free credit reports from the United State's major credit bureaus, you can visit annualcreditreport.com. Other consumer reporting bureaus, such as tenant screening services or checking account history companies, don't participate in this site, but you can contact them directly to ask for your free report.

Getting Additional Reports

After you have ordered your free reports, you can buy additional reports directly from the companies that issue them. In some cases, however, you are entitled to additional free copies. If you are on welfare, unemployed and looking for a job, or have been turned down for credit, housing, or employment because of something on a consumer or credit report, you have the right to request a free copy of your credit report.

Correcting Errors

Credit bureaus report the information that they get from outside sources, which may not always be correct. If you don't check your reports, you won't be able to spot errors that can hurt your credit. When you find errors in your credit report, contact the credit bureaus immediately. Under the FCRA, they must investigate any errors and make corrections if they can't verify the information. Credit and consumer reporting bureaus often have online dispute services that you can use to correct erroneous information.