How Do I Check My Credit Score Online?

"I want to check my credit score because I'm planning to buy a home soon. But the process confuses me. Can I check it online, and if so how? What should I do if I find out that my score is low?"

Below, we have compiled one of the largest collections of credit advice you'll find anywhere. If you want to learn more about the importance of good credit, you may peruse our library of helpful articles below. If you simply want to check your score to see where you stand, you can use the link provided above.

Common questions: "Now that I know how to check my credit score, what do I actually do with it? How do I put the numbers into perspective? What do they mean? Am I in a good position to buy a house?"

Here's your answer: Your FICO credit score plays a major role in whether or not you can qualify for a mortgage loan. In fact, it's one of the three most important factors during the qualification process. That's why it's so important to check a credit score early on in the home-buying process.

Your FICO score also influences the interest rate you get from the lender. If you have a high score, you can get a lower rate on the loan, and thus a smaller monthly payment. This could save you many thousands of dollars over the life of the loan.

Let's say I check my credit score and find out that it's in the upper 500s. By current lending standards, this is probably to low to qualify for a home loan. So I would want to focus on improving my score, as explained in the articles below. The sooner I started the improvement process, the better off I would be later on when I applied for a mortgage. But it all starts with me checking my credit score, to find out where I stand.

FICO scores written about recently:
725 | 720 | 675 | 670 | 650 | 635 | 620

Update: Check out our new-and-improved credit blog.

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General Credit Topics

The articles listed below will help you understand the world of credit, as it applies to the home buying process. It's a good place to start if you know very little about this subject.

How to establish credit for the first time
How do I build my credit history?
Understanding credit reports and scores in 2009
How do I improve my credit history quickly?
Credit score ratings explained - glossary and overview

Credit Reporting Companies

Who are these companies that maintain financial data on U.S. consumers? How do they compile credit reports? My Credit Score has your answers:

The three major consumer credit reporting companies
Why doesn't the data from all three bureaus agree?
What you should know about Experian, Equifax and TransUnion
What does three credit reporting mean?

Your Credit Reports

Did you know your credit report and score are two different things? Did you know a lender can pull three of them, one from each of the reporting bureaus? Did you know you are entitled by law to receive a free credit report once a year, from all three bureaus? In this section of the My Credit Score library, you can learn all about these things:

The truth about free credit reports:

Top 10 questions people ask about credit report
How to get your totally free credit report | And Part 2
My free yearly credit report - Is it really free?
Does the yearly report give me everything I need?
What is the official website for getting free reports online?
There is no such thing as a government credit report

Things that show up on your reports:
What kind of information shows up on my file?
How long does a foreclosure stay on a credit report?
How long do other negative items stay on my report?
Does garnishment of wages show up on my reports?

How to find and fix errors:
How to read a report to ensure accuracy | Part 2
How do I find the errors on my credit file?
How to fix errors, and why you should
How do I clean up my credit report history?
Duplicate entries on credit report can bring a score down
Removing unpaid medical bills from credit report | Part 2
Writing a letter to dispute my credit report
How do I dispute a collection item on my credit report?

Scores and Scoring

Where does my credit score come from, and why is it so important when buying a home? If I find out that my score is low, what can I do to improve it? How long does that take? You'll find answers to these questions and more in the list below.

How it all works:

Where does my score come from to begin with? | Part 2
What does it mean to me, as a home buyer?
How does credit relate to the loan-application process?
How does my score affect my mortgage payments?
FICO scoring chart that shows important factors
What is considered a good FICO score these days? | 2010 Update
How do credit score estimators work, and are they useful?
Do they add all three scores together for an average?
Why does the lender have a different score than the three agencies?
How do I obtain a free FICO score online? | Part 2
What score is needed to buy a home in 2009? | Part 2
Is 700 a good score in this economy? | What about 750?
How does a non-US citizen establish a credit score? | Part 2
How do I check my business score online?

Things that may affect a score:
What made my credit score drop off all of a sudden?
How does mortgage rate shopping affect my credit?
How do late car payments affect my credit score?
What about overdue medical bills? | Part 2 | Part 3
What will debt settlement do to my score?
How does a debt write-off / charge-off affect my score?
What about making too many credit inquiries? | Part 2
Foreclosure was dismissed - Does it still affect me?
What kind of impact does a short sale have?
Spouse has bad credit - Can we still get a mortgage?
Does the mortgage pre-approval process hurt my credit?
Does canceling credit cards affect my score in any way? | Part 2
Will a loan modification hurt my score in any way?

How to improve a score:
Credit improvement for beginners and how it all works
What can I do to raise my credit score fast? | Part 2
Is it possible to raise my score 30 points in a month?
How long does it take to improve a score significantly?
After paying off debts, how long until my score goes up?
Where can I find nonprofit credit counseling services?
How can I tell if my credit is getting better?
Can I increase my credit score by paying off bills? | Part 2 | Part 3
What can I do to improve my score after a bankruptcy filing? | Part 2
Paying off collections to increase a score
Will my score rise when an account is removed from my report?
How long will it take to reach 700 or above? | Part 2
I can't get my credit score over 600 points
What happens to a score when bankruptcy expires / drops off?
Can I use a secured credit card to boost my score? How does it work? | Part 2

Managing Your Debt

We are frequently asked the question: "Is my credit score the only thing a lender cares about?" No. When you apply for a loan, the lender will also consider the amount of debt you are carrying (among other things). If you have too much debt in relation to your income, you might not qualify for a loan. Here are some more articles about this relationship between your credit score and your debt:

What is the average amount of credit card debt in the U.S.?
Can too much debt hurt my chances of buying a home?
Can I negotiate a credit card debt reduction?
Can creditors garnish my wages for unpaid debt?
Which debts should I pay first when money is tight?
Where can I find legitimate non-profit debt counseling?
What is the best way to pay off my current debts?
Can a collection agency sue me for debts I owe?
How does credit card debt settlement work?
What kind of debt-collection laws are there to protect me?
Where can I get help reducing my current debt?

Educational Videos for Home Buyers

We realize that some people learn better by watching and listening, rather than reading. So we have begun to add videos to the My Credit Score library. We hope you find these videos helpful.

Additional Tips From Our "Captain Credit" Series

How to Buy a House With a Bad Credit Score
In truth, I probably shouldn't be revealing this secret tip. Once the word gets out, the blog will be flooded with visitors, and my email inbox will burst at the seams. Oh well. I'm going to let the cat out of the bag anyway.

How to Rebuild Your Credit Score
In 2009, it will be tougher to qualify for mortgage loans. This is a direct result of the economic crisis of 2008. So if you are one of the many Americans with a low credit score, you should work hard to improve it. In this lesson, we will look at three important steps in your quest to better financial health.

Buying With Poor Credit and No Money Down - No!
I am truly baffled. Despite all of the news about our economic problems, credit crunch, tougher lending standards, foreclosures and the like ... I still get questions every week from people wanting advice on how to buy a home with bad credit. My answer is, and will continue to be, don't do it! It's not the advice you want to hear, but it's the advice you need to hear.

Update on Credit Crisis and Home Buying
These days, you need excellent credit in order to qualify for the best rates on a mortgage loan. In this article, I'll explain the economic changes that brought this about and what it all means to home buyers.

What Is My Credit Score?
This is one of the most common questions among home buyers, and for good reason. As a home buyer, you know that mortgage lenders are going to analyze your credit score (among other things), so it's wise for you to do the same.

Get a Copy of Your Free Credit Report
Everybody is shouting about free credit reports these days, and it's enough to make your head spin. Thankfully, the Captain is here to help you make sense out of it all.

How to Improve Your Credit Score
Have you conducted some financial research and found that your credit score is relatively low, compared to the national average? If so, you'll want to improve your score before applying for a mortgage loan. Captain Credit has some tips on how to go about it!

Your Totally Free Credit Report Online
Yes, there are actually several ways you can get your reports online for free. To help you understand your options, let's take a quick look at where your credit reports come from in the first place.

Credit Score Needed for Home Buying
You probably already realize that a higher score will make the home buying process easier. It will also help you get a better interest rate on your mortgage loan. But what kind of score is needed for home buying purposes? This article examines the subject in detail.

How to Fix Your Credit Report
This is a topic that every home buyer should understand, because it is closely related to the mortgage application and approval process. Thus, it's an important topic for home buying in general.

A Better Score in 2008
Good credit has always been important for home buyers. But these days, in the wake of the subprime mortgage crisis and tougher regulations, it's more important than ever to have a good credit score when buying a home. The article will help you get one!

Buying a House With a Score of 656
A reader wanted to know if a credit score of 656 was enough to get a loan and buy a house. It's a good question, and it opens up a whole range of topics. In this article, I've done my best to answer this reader's question in light of the current housing market and tougher lending standards. I think you'll find it informative and worth reading.

Can I Check My Credit Score Online?

Yes, you can check your credit score online through various websites. We have provided a link at the top of this page for that very purpose. Before you start surfing the web with this goal in mind, you might want to read our helpful guide on this subject. Some people end up purchasing things they didn't really want or need (like credit-monitoring services), just to take advantage of a "free credit score" offer. By reading our comprehensive guide, you'll be able to avoid this kind of mistake. Click here for more information.

This answers the question: How do I check my credit score online? If you have additional questions about this subject, you can peruse the collection of articles above. We have hundreds of articles on this subject, and you can find most of them through the links provided above.