Free weekly credit reports have been extended through the end of 2023 by the three major U.S. credit bureaus.
“The rising cost of living in the wake of COVID-19 has created some economic consequences felt by many Americans,” the CEOs of Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion said in a joint statement.
Typically, consumers are entitled to one free credit report from each of the three bureaus each year through annualcreditreport.com. But the bureaus began offering free weekly access during the coronavirus pandemic to help consumers manage their financial health during a fraught time. The free access was set to revert from weekly to once a year at the start of 2023.
Now U.S. consumers will have at least another year of free weekly access. This is good news, as consumers can now routinely check their reports for inaccurate information, a common credit report-related complaint. In fact, one in five people have an error on at least one of their credit reports, according to a study conducted by the Federal Trade Commission.
Mistakes on credit reports range from inaccurate personal information like a phone number or address, to more serious errors like accounts incorrectly being reported as late or delinquent. This is concerning because late payments remain on credit reports for seven years, and can negatively impact credit scores.
Credit scores, in turn, are used by lenders to determine your eligibility and interest rate for a mortgage, credit card, or vehicle. Essentially, the three-digit number ranging from 300 to 850 paints a picture of your credit risk, or the likelihood you’ll repay a loan. Lower interest rates can equate to tens of thousands of dollars saved over the life of a loan like a mortgage.
For that reason, checking your credit report for mistakes frequently can potentially save you money—and potentially from being hounded by collections agencies.
To access your credit report, you can go online to Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion’s websites or log on to annualcreditreport.com to request your free weekly credit reports.
“Credit reports play an important role in financial health, and providing weekly reports for consumers at no charge is another way that we can support financial education and stability for people across the U.S. at this critical time,” said the credit bureau CEOs in the joint statement.
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