A lot of personal information appears on your credit report, including the following:
- Your full name and variations (such as married or maiden names)
- Your Social Security number
- Your date of birth
- Your current and previous addresses and when they were reported
- Your current and previous places of employment and when they were verified
- Your telephone number, if available
However, these factors are used only as identifying information, not to determine your credit score. In addition, how much you earn is not included on your report.
How your credit history is evaluated:
The three credit bureaus collect the following data to evaluate your credit history. This information does appear on your credit report.
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Public records and collection accounts. This is where the negative information appears on your account. It’s gathered by the credit reporting agencies from state and county courts and collection agencies, and it shows past due accounts and accounts sent to collection. Public record information is also shown, including bankruptcies, foreclosures, suits, wage attachments, tax liens and civil judgments. Most negative information stays on your report for seven years.
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Credit accounts in good standing and credit history. This is where the positive information shows up. Lenders report on each account you have established with them. They report dates accounts were opened, the type of account (bank card, auto loan, mortgage), your loan amount or credit limit, your account balance and your payment history, including late payments.
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Credit inquiries by others who have viewed your report. This is the section that shows everyone who has pulled a copy of your credit report in the last two years. Whenever you apply for a loan or a credit card, you allow your lender to pull a copy of your credit report. Having too many inquiries in a short time is considered a negative by lenders and could result in your application being denied. Inquiries that you have made on your own behalf for informational purposes—for instance, pulling your credit report to check for errors—are not viewed negatively (these inquiries are commonly called, "soft pulls").