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7 steps to spring clean your credit report

Spring clean your credit report
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Spring clean your credit report

When you're thinking of tidying and reorganizing your linen closet or your garage, don't forget about your credit report. Your credit history is the foundation to financial stability. The information in your credit report is what scoring companies such as FICO use to generate your credit score, which governs everything from how much you pay for a loan -- or if you can get a loan at all -- to your insurance rates.

Paying attention to your credit report only when you're about to make a big purchase such as a house or a car can backfire. According to a 2004 U.S. Public Interest Research Group study, nearly 80 percent of surveyed reports had inaccuracies. If there is any issue that takes some time to sort out, that can create a headache if you're racing the clock to secure a loan. Get a head start by going over your credit report now, and check up on it periodically so you can catch and fix any issues right away.


 

 

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Another study shows the imperfection of credit reporting. Almost 1 in 4 encountered problems with their credit reports.
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