A credit report is a clear indication of your financial situation, and how you have managed your finances and debts in the present and the past. Many of us out there do not actually know how important this report is, or what the report is normally used for. For your information, this report possesses your personal and financial information such as your address, the way you make your payments and pay your bills, how often you miss your payments, whether you have been sued or arrested before, as well as other relevant data. Your report is extremely useful as an evaluation tool when you apply for credit such as loans as well as when you try to find a job, get personal insurance, as well as rent or buy a home.

Everyone is entitled to receiving a free credit report every 12 months once, but where do you go if you want a copy of your credit score? Annualcreditreport.com is the site to head to if you want a copy of this report for free. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) has created the requirement for the three nationwide consumer reporting companies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) to provide you with the report free of charge a year once, thus all three companies created this website for your to apply for the report. If you require it more than once within twelve months, then you would have to pay approximately USD 10.50 for each report that you request from within a year.

When you reach the site, download the Annual Credit Report Request Form, complete the form and mail it to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. You should be able to obtain your credit report in about to weeks (15 days is the promised duration). In the case of any doubts, you could call 1-877-322-8228 and get your doubts cleared in regards anything within this process. All three companies, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, will not entertain individual requests for credit ratings report, as they would direct you back to the centralized site.

In order to be able to obtain your free credit report as quickly as possible, make sure that you provide all the information required such name, address, your Social Security number and date of birth to the processing body. If your application is hassle-free, expect to receive your report in less than two weeks. The duration might drag is there are complications with your application however. Stick with the given website for the application, and do not fall for other sites that promise free reports but deliver nothing. This site is endorsed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), thus is safe and useful. All the best in obtaining your report!