Cleaning Up Your Credit Report: An Overview

Here are the steps you'll need to take to clean up your credit report.

How Often Should I Check My Credit Report?

A big part of maintaining good credit is checking your credit reports frequently. You should check them once per year, and more in certain situations. Here are the details.  

Checklist: Things to Look for in Your Credit Report

Use this handy checklist as you review your credit report for inaccuracies, old information, and other things that shouldn't be there.

How Long Does Negative Information Stay on a Credit Report?

Find out if information on your report is outdated.

Why Is There Information on My Credit Report That Is Not Mine?

Find out why your credit report might contain debts and other information that are not yours.

Can Debts Discharged in Bankruptcy Appear on My Credit Report?

If you discharged debts in bankruptcy, here's how they should (and should not) be listed on your credit report.

Debt Buyers & Your Credit Report

When a debt buyer parks an old debt on your credit report or re-ages an account, it might be violating the FCRA.

Most Common Violations of the FCRA

Learn common ways that creditors and consumer reporting agencies violate the FCRA so you can better protect your credit information.

Disputing Incomplete and Inaccurate Information in Your Credit Report

If there are errors, outdated information, or missing information on your credit report, you may dispute those items with the credit reporting agency.

If the Credit Reporting Agency Does Not Correct Your Report: What to Do

Here's what to do if the credit reporting agency refuses to fix your credit report.

How to Dispute Credit Report Items With the Creditor or Collector

Sometimes it makes sense to go directly to the source -- and dispute an inaccurate credit report item with the creditor. Here's how.

Removing a Federal Tax Lien From Your Credit Report

Under certain circumstances you can get a paid IRS tax lien off your credit report sooner than seven years.

Adding Explanatory Statements to Credit Reports

You can include a brief statement in your credit report explaining a disputed item.

Adding Positive Information to Your Credit Report

You should add information showing stability and unreported positive accounts to your credit report. Here's how.