How To Check Your Credit Score

If you want more credit or you want to buy a home or car, you need to learn how to check your credit score to ensure that there are no nasty surprises when it's time to secure the credit or loan. Fortunately, recent legislation has made it easier than ever, as well as free, to check your credit score. In every state, you can check your credit score each year for free.

1. Use the federal website that connects you to your free credit reports. The site www.annualcreditreport.com will allow you to check your credit score by getting your credit reports from the three main credit companies. In some states, you are entitled only to a credit report. In others, you can check your credit score for free from all three bureaus. 
2. Call 877-322-8228 to directly request the free reports that you are entitled to. The phone number is operated by the government and is set up to allow you to request one, two or all three reports that you are entitled to for the year.
3. Request a credit score from any of the credit reporting bureaus if you are not entitled to one along with your credit report. In most cases, if your state does not allow one score for free each year, you will have to pay a small fee to get the score. Once you check your credit score, you can check yours against the national average of 680. If your score is 700 or above, your credit score is considered good.