Your credit report shows the lender what kind of borrower you are, how much you owe in debt, whether you pay on time, and if you have had any judgements, repossessions, bankruptcies, or delinquent accounts. Your credit report is actually considered your credit history. A good credit history allows lenders to offer you a larger loan at a better interest rate, and vice-versa. A low credit score means the lender may offset the risk by raising the interest rate and by reducting the loan amount.

Ordering your credit report once a year is important to safeguarding your privacy. You can obtain a copy of your report by writing or calling one of the three reporting agencies below.

To obtain a copy of your credit report, you will have to provide the credit reporting agencies the following information:

• Full name
• Social Security number
• Driver's license information
• Current address and your addresses for the past 5 years
• Employer
• Home telephone number
• Date of birth
• Signature