If you have a credit account of any kind, whether a revolving loan, a credit card or even something like a mortgage, chances are you’ve started to understand what your credit report means for your future financial status.  Taking the time to review the accuracy of your report and fix any errors is essential to your future – at least when it comes to receiving financing.  In essence, going over a free copy of your credit report, and specifically an experian free credit report, is never a waste of time.

What is an experian free credit report?

Experian is the name of one of the three credit bureaus that keep track of consumer credit.  The other two agencies are Trans Union and Equifax.  So the term Experian free credit report refers to a free copy of your credit report from Experian.

Why should I get an Experian free credit report?

Your Experian free credit report provides valuable information for any company that you have asked to take a chance on loaning you money.  In addition, more and more employers and potential landlords are pulling credit reports to see if you might be a good risk for a job or an apartment.

What kind of information is in an Experian free credit report?

The report basically consists of important details about your financial situation, including:

• Bank accounts and their balances
• Current credit accounts and your payment history
• Past addresses
• Information on past judgments or collections

The more negative items you have on your report, the less likely you are to get favorable terms for your credit request or, in some cases, your request may be denied.

Should I pull reports from the other two agencies?

The Experian free credit report is not the only report that might determine your financial future.  You should also consider pulling reports from the other two agencies, Trans Union and Equifax.  Because different vendors and merchants report to different agencies, you may find inaccuracies on one report, but not another.

How can I get an Experian free credit report?

There are two main ways to get an Experian free credit report:

1. Go to www.AnnualCreditReport.com:  This is the truly free site established under federal law that provides consumers with access to one free copy of the reports from each of the three agencies once per year.  When you visit the site, you will be asked to enter some identifying information and answer some security questions.  Once you have gone through this process, you will have access to your report.
2. Go to www.freecreditreport.com:  This is the Experian specific site where you can access one free Experian free credit report.  However, you will be automatically signed up for a free trial of their credit monitoring service and will have to provide a credit card number for subsequent billing.  If you cancel within seven days (first time customers only), you can keep the report and not pay anything for the service.

Regardless of which process you use to access your Experian free credit report, be sure to carefully review the report for inaccuracies.  Even something simple like an unknown address on your report now can lead to big misunderstandings in the future.