Debunk myths surrounding credit reports - By: Joy Mali M

Few people realize the relevance that an updated and accurate credit report can provide. For starters, your credit score is largely dependent on it, and being the numerical representation of your financial reliability, it’s important to ensure that you take care of it in any way that you can.

To do this, one must look into how they can review their credit scores regularly and arm themselves with information that will allow them to avoid the pitfalls of a bad credit rating.

Here’s a quick rundown of what you should know about keep good credit ratings:

1. Your income does not influence your credit reports, nor does it reflect on the financial documents. Your financial capability is based more on how well you manage your finances.

2. Late payments and negligence of bills are active on your credit file for seven years from the date of the initial late payment. Despite settling your bill prior to a review by a loan officer or creditor, remember that your past unsettled debts do not vanish from your official financial documents. Similarly, a declaration of bankruptcy will also be reflected in your credit report.

3. While trusted credit report providers and agencies such as TransUnion, Experian and Equifax will guarantee the most efficient processing and record-keeping, one still cannot deny the possibility of human error causing discrepancies and inconsistencies in your report. This makes it essential for individuals to regularly review their credit reports to ensure that should an error come up, it is immediately sorted.

4. To maintain a good credit score, one should keep a credit line open and available but use it in a responsible manner. Without a functioning credit line, you will not have credit history, which work against you as well. The key is in ensuring that you have an active credit line that is paid on time and regularly.

5. Your credit scores from the different agencies may vary due to the access and the information gathered over time. Keep in mind that no credit scores is superior to another and is simply based on your credit history.

6. Checking, savings and investment accounts do not influence credit scores. Like your general income, the aforementioned are not reflected on your financial documents and thus have no sway on your credit rankings.

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