Instant Online Viewing of Three-Bureau Credit Reports Now Available

Comprehensive three-bureau credit reports for individual consumers can now be ordered and viewed online in a minute or less, thanks to new capabilities at Credit Report Now. In the past, mail delivery was necessary for the tri-merge reports, which include Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union.

A tri-merge credit report presents the most complete view of an individual's credit at any point in time, because it collates, combines, and compares the files of the three nationwide credit reporting agencies, which, themselves, do not share information with each other.

Free Credit Reports at Credit Report Now

Consumers can now get online access to their credit file with membership in the personal credit monitoring service at Credit Report Now, and for the first 30 days, a trial membership is free, with no obligation to continue the year-round service.

Credit monitoring is the recommended way to protect one's credit file because it may alert the consumer to fraud and identity theft activity, unauthorized inquiries, and new derogatory information. With the capability to view one's own credit report online, as often as requested, the consumer now has up to the minute information, and the best chance of reacting to events quickly, before more harm is done.

New Fannie Mae Policy Will Make Getting Your Own Credit Report an Essential Step for Homebuyers

Fannie Mae, the organization that funds or guarantees 80% of all  mortgages for American homebuyers, is said to be planning a change of policy that will allow mortgage companies to base their credit decisions on a single bureau credit report, as opposed to the three-bureau merge reports they now require. This means that your report from Equifax, Experian, or Trans Union might be used, without checking reports from the other two. 

It is not uncommon for credit scores to vary by as much as 100 points from one bureau to another.  Score differences of that much can mean tens of thousands of dollars over the life of a mortgage, (and whether or not the mortgage is approved at all.)

To get the best rate, you'll want to know which bureau the lender is using, and whether or not reports from other bureaus might show you in a better light. The 3-bureau credit report at Credit Report Now, is designed for side-by-side comparison of all three bureaus, giving you the knowledge of where you stand, and the ability to get errors corrected before they affect a lender's credit decision.

DMV Links Simplify "Opting Out"

Identification theft and privacy are becoming bigger concerns, so Credit Report Now has added links to the Department of Motor Vehicles sites for each state, with phones and addresses for the  states not having DMV websites.  A new federal law, the Drivers Protection Act, gives new privacy rights, but consumers may find it necessary to request opting-out of DMV distribution of personal information for other uses, including direct marketing.

Links to this and other personal credit forms, tables, and guides has been added to the Credit Problem Solver section of Credit Report Now.