People often want to check their credit ratings before applying for credit cards and various types of loans to get an idea of what interest rate ranges they can expect or what they might be able to negotiate. Some may also check them periodically just to stay abreast of where they stand when it comes to credit. If you want to check your credit rating, you’ll typically have to pay to do so. In most cases, you can do so by contacting a credit bureau in your jurisdiction, requesting your credit rating by following its instructions, and paying the required fee to receive it. The amount of money you’ll have to pay may depend on the credit bureau from which you seek your credit rating, and some programs do include offers through which a person can get their credit rating free of charge.
When you want to obtain your credit rating, the first thing you think of may be obtaining a copy of your credit report. You may examine the credit report you receive to see what has been entered concerning your credit history and check for inaccuracies. Unfortunately, however, credit reports usually don’t include your credit rating for free. You’ll usually have to complete a form and pay a fee if you’d like to get your credit rating.
In general, there is certain information you’ll need to provide to get your credit rating. For example, you’ll typically need to provide your full name, address, and telephone number. You may also be asked to provide other identifying information, such as tax identification or driver’s license numbers. If you request your credit rating online, you may be asked to answer questions in order to prove that you are not an impostor trying to access your personal information. The procedure may be somewhat different if you request your credit rating through the mail, but you will still need to provide some identifying information in order to check your credit rating.
Often, credit bureaus offer programs that allow you to check your credit rating for free. For example, if you sign up for a credit monitoring service and pay the required fee, you may be able to obtain your credit rating as part of the service. In some cases, you may be able to check your credit rating for free without paying for the related service. For instance, some credit bureaus offer free trials of credit monitoring service, and you can obtain your credit rating by signing up for the free trial. Then, if you are unhappy with the service, you can cancel before the trial period ends, without facing any charges.
