These days, there are plenty of ways for you to obtain your credit score on the internet. Largely because of a 2001 advance in California mortgage lending law, credit bureaus now make this information widely available to consumers for a reasonable fee.
What is a Credit Score Check?
When most people talk about “checking their credit score,” what they really mean is that they are pulling a copy of their own credit report. You are entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the major credit bureaus. It is important to understand that this does not include the three-digit number that represents your credit score. Your credit report is a longer document which contains the information your credit score is based on.
So where can you find your credit score? You can obtain it from one of the three different consumer credit bureaus – Experian, Equifax and Transunion. By law, these companies can charge you a reasonable fee for providing your credit score. If you want to check your score more frequently, you can subscribe to a reputable site like GoFreeCredit.com which will allow you to monitor your credit files and access your scores online at any time.
Do You Need Credit Monitoring?
Whether you decide to do a one-time check of a single credit score or purchase a year’s subscription to monitor the changes in your credit data depends upon your financial needs and what your budget is. But in either case, there are plenty of companies willing to provide you your credit score. Even if you are not in the market for a car or a home loan, it is still advisable to keep an eye on your credit score and be responsible with your credit.