Learn how to get, read, compare, and correct your credit reports from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Understand what appears on your reports, why bureau files can differ, how long information stays, and what to do when an account, inquiry, collection, or personal detail looks wrong.
A mixed credit file occurs when a credit reporting company combines information belonging to two different consumers in one file. CFPB guidance lists accounts belonging to another person with the same or a similar name as a common example. A […]
Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion maintain separate credit files, so your three reports do not have to match line for line. Creditors are not required to report to every bureau, and those that do furnish information may update the bureaus on
Medical debt has not been completely removed from U.S. credit reports. As of 2026, the three nationwide credit bureaus exclude paid medical collection debt and medical collections with an initial reported balance under $500. Unpaid medical collections generally do not
Your credit report is not public information. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), a consumer reporting company generally may provide a report only when the requester has a legally permissible purpose. Common examples include a credit application, review or
An account may be missing because the creditor does not furnish information to credit reporting companies, reports to only one or two bureaus, or has not sent the latest account data yet. CFPB guidance says creditors are not required to
Most negative information can generally stay on a credit report for about seven years. Bankruptcies can remain for up to 10 years, while hard inquiries typically remain for up to two years. Positive information can stay longer: closed accounts that
A credit report is a detailed record of your reported credit activity and current credit accounts. A credit score is a separate numerical estimate calculated from information in a credit report using a particular scoring model. You can have credit
If a credit report contains inaccurate or incomplete information, dispute it with the credit reporting company that shows the error and include documents that explain exactly what is wrong. A nationwide credit bureau generally has 30 days to investigate, with
You can get free credit reports from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion through AnnualCreditReport.com, and the three bureaus have made online weekly access permanent. A credit report is the underlying account and payment-history data, not a credit score. Review all three
Read each credit report in the same order: confirm your identifying information, review every account and balance, inspect collections and public-record information, then check inquiries. Compare Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion because the files can differ. If information is inaccurate or
A hard inquiry usually appears when you apply for new credit and a lender checks your credit file for that application; it can modestly affect a score for a limited period. Soft inquiries — including checking your own credit and
