What Information Does A Credit Report Contain?

A consumer credit report contains four types of information: identifying information, credit information, public record information, and inquiries.

Identifying information includes:

• Your name.
• Your current and previous addresses.
• Your Social Security number.
• Your year of birth.
• Your current and previous employers.
• If you're married, your spouse's name.

Credit information includes credit accounts or loans you have with:

• Banks.
• Retailers.
• Credit card issuers.
• Other lenders.

Most information, whether positive or negative, remains on your credit report for 7 years from the date it is first reported, and then cycles off automatically. If there is inaccurate information in your credit report, you have the right to dispute it and have it removed.

Public record information includes any information that's contained in state and county court records, like:

• Bankruptcies.
• Tax liens.
• Monetary judgments.

Bankruptcies can remain on your credit report for up to 10 years. Other public record information can remain for up to 7 years.

Inquiries indicate to other credit grantors that you have applied for new credit that could result in additional debt. Potential lenders view multiple recent inquiries on your credit report as a sign that you are overextending yourself. Most inquiries stay on your credit report for up to two years.

(A credit risk score may also be included when your report is provided to a credit grantor, although it is not included on consumer review reports. The ways to calculate and use a credit score vary widely, so a score has little meaning outside of the context of a particular lender's unique guidelines for use. Therefore, it is not included on consumer review reports.)