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30Y FIXED6.85%↑ 0.02·15Y FIXED6.12%↓ 0.01·REFI 30Y6.78%↑ 0.01·HELOC9.20%0.00·JUMBO 30Y7.05%↑ 0.03·HYSA TOP4.85%↓ 0.05·12M CD5.10%0.00·24M CD4.85%↓ 0.02·5Y CD4.40%↑ 0.01·MMA TOP4.65%0.00·AUTO 60M NEW7.10%↓ 0.02·AUTO 60M USED8.45%↑ 0.04·PERSONAL EXC.8.20%0.00·10Y TREASURY4.32%↑ 0.01·30Y FIXED6.85%↑ 0.02·15Y FIXED6.12%↓ 0.01·REFI 30Y6.78%↑ 0.01·HELOC9.20%0.00·JUMBO 30Y7.05%↑ 0.03·HYSA TOP4.85%↓ 0.05·12M CD5.10%0.00·24M CD4.85%↓ 0.02·5Y CD4.40%↑ 0.01·MMA TOP4.65%0.00·AUTO 60M NEW7.10%↓ 0.02·AUTO 60M USED8.45%↑ 0.04·PERSONAL EXC.8.20%0.00·10Y TREASURY4.32%↑ 0.01·
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Glossary term

Credit Report

What is on your credit report, how to access it for free, how long items stay on your report, and what to do if you find errors.

What Is a Credit Report?

A credit report is a detailed record of your credit history compiled by a credit bureau. It includes every credit account you have opened, your payment history on those accounts, public records like bankruptcies, and a list of who has recently accessed your file.

Three major credit bureaus compile separate reports: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Each maintains its own file, and the information across the three may differ slightly because not all creditors report to all three bureaus.

What Is on Your Credit Report

Identifying information: Your name, address history, Social Security number, date of birth, and employer (if reported). This section does not affect your score but is used for identity verification.

Credit accounts: Every credit card, mortgage, auto loan, student loan, and personal loan you have opened. For each account: the creditor's name, account type, open date, credit limit or loan amount, current balance, and payment history (on-time vs. late payments, with the number of days late).

Hard inquiries: A record of every lender or issuer that pulled your full credit report (hard inquiry) in approximately the past 2 years. Soft inquiries (like your own checks) are visible to you but not to lenders.

Public records and collections: Bankruptcies, court judgments, and accounts sent to collections.

How to Access Your Credit Report for Free

Federal law (FACT Act) entitles you to one free credit report per year from each bureau at annualcreditreport.com. In recent years, the bureaus have allowed weekly free access, which remains in place as of 2026.

You can also access free reports through:

  • Experian (free report and basic score via experian.com)
  • Discover's Credit Scorecard (free for anyone, not just cardholders)
  • Capital One CreditWise (free access, updated weekly)

How Long Items Stay on Your Report

| Item | Duration | |------|----------| | Late payments | 7 years from the first date of delinquency | | Collections | 7 years from the first date of delinquency | | Chapter 7 bankruptcy | 10 years from filing date | | Chapter 13 bankruptcy | 7 years from filing date | | Hard inquiries | 2 years | | Positive accounts | 10 years after account closure, potentially indefinitely if open |

What to Do If You Find Errors

Dispute errors directly with the bureau that shows the incorrect information. You can file online at equifax.com, experian.com, or transunion.com. The bureau is required to investigate within 30 days and update or remove inaccurate items.

Common errors to look for: accounts that are not yours (identity theft), late payments reported incorrectly, discharged bankruptcy accounts still showing a balance, and duplicate accounts.

See also: dispute.

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