Top 10 Credit Report Questions

Credit reports are a fairly straightforward topic. But due to a combination of marketing and misinformation, many consumers find the topic confusing. We deal with credit report questions on a daily basis, so we are familiar with the level of confusion people have.

In this article, we have compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions we receive on the topic of credit reports and reporting. If you find this subject confusing, and you're looking for some straight answers, you'll probably find them below.

Common Questions About Credit Reports

This list is ranked by frequency, with the most frequently asked questions at the top.

1. How do I get a totally free credit report?
This is another topic that confuses many people, and I would put 90% of the blame on marketing and advertising. This is by far the most common question we get on the subject of credit reports, and this article eliminates the confusion once and for all.

2. Where can I get order my reports online?
This is an extension of the previous question. There are literally hundreds of websites offering "free" credit reports online, but there's only one website recommended by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). In this question and answer, you'll learn which website to use for best results. This article is highly recommended for all consumers with credit report questions.

3. How do I fix errors on my reports?
In a perfect world, the credit reporting bureaus would never make mistakes. But they do! In this article, you'll find out how common such errors are and what you can do to fix them. This is one of the most frequently asked credit report questions we get from consumers.

4. How can I dispute duplicate entries?
A duplicate entry is an item that appears on your credit report more than once. They can also hurt your overall score. This topic generates a lot of questions and confusion among consumers. So in this tutorial, we explain what duplicate entries are and how you can dispute them.

5. How do I read my reports?
What should you look for when reading through your reports? How is the information arranged? How do you spot errors and make sense of all the data? You'll get straight answers to these credit report questions from this helpful tutorial.

6. Why don't the three credit bureaus agree?
The fact that you have three reports from three different companies really adds to the confusion. These companies maintain their own data, and they do not share it with other companies. So it's possible to have three different credit reports that don't entirely "match." This leads to a lot of confusion and questions among consumers.

7. What is a consumer credit reporting agency?
Do you have questions about the companies that maintain these data records on U.S. consumers? If so, you'll get the answers you seek from this article. It's an introduction to the world of credit reporting and the people who make money from it.

8. How long do negative entries stay on a report?
Having derogatory information on your reports will lower your overall score. But this is not a permanent problem. Over time, negative items will "expire" from your file. In this credit question, you'll learn about the federal laws that regulate this industry and how it applied to you.

9. How do I fix my credit as quickly as possible?
This is more of a scoring topic than a credit report question and answer. But the two things are directly related, and it's one of the most common inquiries we get from readers. So we've included it within out list of FAQs.

10. How can I repair my credit after bankruptcy?
By law, bankruptcies can stay on your credit report for up to ten years. But in the meantime, there are still things you can do to improve your score. You'll learn all about it in this Q&A session.

So there you have it, our top-ten list of credit report questions based on the emails we receive. If you would like to learn more about this topic, use the search tool at the top of the blog. There are hundreds of articles, tutorials and Q&A sessions on this blog, so you're bound to find the answer you seek. You may also wish to visit the FAQ page of the website.

I hope you found this lesson helpful, and I wish you all the best in 2009.