It’s your right as a US citizen to get your 3 credit report online. Avoid the many pitfalls people face when they want to get their free credit report online.

Your credit score determines who will lend to you, so it’s important to stay on top of your 3 credit report online. This is especially important when you are ready to make major financial decisions such as buying or refinancing a home or borrowing to buy a new automobile. Improving your score slightly can save you $1000s on your next loan. These savings come in the form of lower interest rates and better financing terms overall. Imagine saving $100-$200 per month in finance charges alone.

#1 – It’s your right as a U.S. citizen to receive an annual credit report for free. This became law with the introduction of the FCRA, also known as Fair Credit Reporting Act. You have the right to receive a 3 credit report online each and every year. Your report will include your credit report and scores from the 3 major credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.

#2 – You should only get your report from the official source, not third party vendors. If you want a truly free credit report there’s only one place to get it, the Annual Credit Report Request Service. Other third party providers will give you a free credit report but will likely enroll you in a credit monitoring service. A credit monitoring service is great for anyone who wants to stay on top of their 3 credit report online and make sure all of the information is 100% accurate.

#3 – Get together all the required information before starting. To request your free FICO report you will need to provide some personal information such as your name, address, social security number as well as any addresses you have lived at in the past two years. You may also be asked other personal information only you will know during the application process to verify your identity.

#4 – Request your report online and have it sent by mail. You may not be able to access your report online at all times, so it’s a good idea to have a copy mailed to you or to print a copy after you have received your 3 credit report online.

#5 – Monitor your credit report to ensure accuracy. This has become increasingly important as more and more people fall victim to identity theft. Monthly monitoring services will keep you on top of any changes that have been made to your credit report and score. There are also other services such as LifeLock that will proactively monitor any financial transactions made using your social security number in real time.

It’s so important to know what’s on your credit report and to do everything possible to increase your credit score, especially if you plan to take on any debt. The money you save in interest on a new loan could pay off any outstanding debt you defer paying off before taking out a new loan. Monthly monitoring is the easy way to ensure your 3 credit report online is accurate.