CreditShack.org

We all know the importance of checking your credit report regularly to look for errors and signs of identify theft. You get a free credit report every year from AnnualCreditReport.com. But once a year is quite a long time between credit checks! You really should check your credit report more frequently.

There are credit monitoring services that will, for a hefty monthly fee, keep you instantly apprised of any changes on your credit report. Daily credit updates border on obsessive compulsive. There’s really no reason to check your report that often in light of the cost.

Ideally you should check your credit about three to four times a year. Here’s a solution for checking your credit three times a year that won’t cost you a dime.

The law (FACT Act) entitles you to a free yearly credit report from each of the three credit reporting agencies: Experian, Equifax and Transunion. You don’t have to request all three reports at the same time. You can spread them out as you see fit. So here’s what you should do:

• Request your free Experian credit report on January 1 every year.
• Request your free Equifax credit report on May 1 every year.
• Request your free TransUnion credit report on September 1 every year.

Accounts created in your name by identity thieves should show up on reports from at least two, if not all three, credit reporting agencies. Which means that by staggering your three credit reports, you’ll find out up to 8 months sooner than if you requested all three reports at once!