Every so often I address questions and comments I receive via email. If you have a question, please contact me using the form on this page. I try to respond to everyone, but it might take a while before I read every email I receive.
From Mary Lynn:
I really liked your article that explained how freecreditreport.com isn’t free at all. I was wondering if you knew of any credit report site that doesn’t ask for a fee! I don’t have any credit cards since I just turned 18 and graduated from high school but I need a credit report for this job I’m taking. Please, if you know of any, let me know.
First, to answer Mary Lynn’s question, the one and only website for retrieving the government-mandated three free credit reports each year, one from each credit reporting bureau, is AnnualCreditReport.com. Even there, since the site works with the for-profit reporting agencies, they will try to sell you something. Steer clear of the offers and get your free credit report once every four months.
I find it odd that your employer requires you to get your own credit report and present it. Employers, if they must to a credit check on prospective employees, should do it without requiring you to do anything other than provide your Social Security Number.
From Jake T.:
You seem to open a lot of bank accounts. How many different banks do you have accounts at, and which one is your favorite?
I do have a diversified set of savings accounts. I wrote about reducing your number of banks as a way to simplify your finances, but I like the idea of keeping money spread around. Without Quicken, this would be an organization nightmare. I have accounts with Wachovia (my main brick-and-mortar bank for both business and personal savings and checking), TD Bank (formerly Commerce Bank, open on Sundays, my secondary brick-and-mortar bank), Ally Bank, FNBO Direct, HSBC Direct, ING Direct, E*TRADE Bank, and Emigrant Direct. I’m also in the process of opening an account at EverBank. Of these, ING Direct and FNBO Direct stand out as favorites.
If you have questions, let us know. You can email your questions directly to me (or to Smithee, Jeff, or Tom) or leave your questions in the comments area.
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Actually it is not uncommon for certain police departments to require you to present your latest credit report during the application process.
Do not even ask me why.
Jimmy
Jimmy – In DC it is very common to have a credit check done as part of a basic SF-85 application for a public trust clearance. That’s for nearly anyone who works for the government as an employee or contractor. People with financial troubles are poor security risks.
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Flexo,
In my experience, the TransUnion credit report forces you to sign up for their mailing list, so when I am volunteer credit counseling, we usually obtain Equifax and Experian reports to review with clients and tell them they can get the TransUnion one on their own. So if people don’t have a burning desire to check all three, they may wish to skip TransUnion altogether.
There are lots of screens in the process, so people should be *extremely* attentive to what they are clicking. I have to keep up the chatter and educational information while helping clients and it is VERY EASY to misclick. (I haven’t misclicked yet, but I will totally stop talking and stare at the screen to make sure I am clicking the right boxes for my clients.)
While I was undergoing the renting process, some of the landlords wanted you to print out your own credit reports for them to review. That avoids them having to pay a fee for it, and still take your $25 application fee.
Besides the 3 free credit reports from the annualcreditreport available every 12-month periods, as required by the federal government, you are entitled to 1 more credit report from 1 of 3 credit bureaus if your residence is in CO, GA, ME, MD, MA, NJ, or VT! (if you live in 1 of these states, then you probably have to request your free report by phone the credit bureau.) Also, according to the FCRA, you’re entitled to a free personal credit report if you were denied or notified of adverse action related to credit, employment, insurance, or other initiated by you within last 60 days, you were denied a house or apartment rental, or if you certify you are unemployed, or you certify you’re recipient of public welfare assistance, or you certify that you have reason to believe there is inaccurate info due to fraud.