A credit report is a detailed record of your credit history, compiled by credit reporting agencies (CRAs). The three major CRAs — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — each maintain their own file on you, and the information may differ between them.
What’s in Your Credit Report?
Personal Information
Your name, current and previous addresses, Social Security number, date of birth, and employment information. This section is used for identification purposes only — it does not affect your score.
Credit Accounts (Tradelines)
Each credit account is listed as a “tradeline.” For each account, the report shows:
- Creditor name and account number (partially masked)
- Type of account (revolving, installment, mortgage)
- Date opened and date closed (if applicable)
- Credit limit or loan amount
- Current balance
- Payment history — month-by-month record of on-time and late payments
- Account status (open, closed, in collections)
Public Records
Since the 2018 NCAP changes, bankruptcies are the primary public record still appearing on credit reports. Most civil judgments and tax liens were removed.
Inquiries
A record of everyone who has accessed your credit report. Divided into:
- Hard inquiries — you applied for credit (visible to lenders, may affect score)
- Soft inquiries — background checks, pre-approvals, your own checks (not visible to lenders)
Collections
Accounts sent to a collection agency are listed separately from the original tradeline.
Why Reports Differ Between Bureaus
📌 Key Fact: Not all creditors report to all three bureaus. Some report to only one or two. Additionally, the timing of updates varies. This is why it’s essential to check all three reports.
How Credit Scores Are Calculated
Credit scores (like FICO and VantageScore) are calculated from your credit report data. The five main factors are:
- Payment history (35%) — on-time payments vs. late payments
- Amounts owed (30%) — credit utilization ratio
- Length of credit history (15%) — age of accounts
- Credit mix (10%) — variety of account types
- New credit (10%) — recent applications and inquiries