2.  A record of your credit history that includes information about: ◦ Your identity ◦ Your existing credit ◦ Your public record ◦ Inquiries about you

3. Lenders, insurers, employers, and others may obtain your credit report from credit bureaus to assess how you manage financial responsibilities

4.  There are three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion  They gather information about you that’s included in your credit report  They provide this information in the form of a credit report to companies or people that request it

5.  Creditors, your bank, you credit card issuer, auto finance company…  Public records  Each credit bureau gets their information from different sources, so sometimes information will be different from one credit report to the next

6.  Lenders from whom you are seeking credit  Lenders that have granted you credit  Telephone, cell phone, and utility companies that may provide services to you  Employer or prospective employer

7. -7 years -If you have filed for personal bankruptcy, this will stay on your report for ten years -Criminal convictions may stay on your report indefinitely

8.  Number that reflects the information in your credit report  The number summarizes your credit history  This helps lenders predict how likely it is that you will repay a loan and make payments when they are due  Can be used to determine to grant you credit, and the rate you will pay on a loan

9.  The number and types of accounts you have  Whether you pay your bills on time  How much of your available credit you are currently using  Whether you have collection actions against you  The amount of your outstanding credit  The age of your accounts

10.  Paying bills late (down)  Incurring more debt (down)  Paying off an outstanding balance (up)