In this section, you will find identifying information about you.

• Name(s)
• Address – Past and Present
• Social Security Number
• Date of Birth
• Spouse’s Name (if applicable)
• Employers – Past and Present

It is not uncommon to have variations or misspelling of your name.  Having different variations of your name and old, addresses will not hurt your credit score as long as it is actually your information.  Make sure personal information is identifying you and not someone else.  This is especially true if you have relatives that you are named after or you are a 2^nd or 3^rd generation with the same name.

The credit summary section of your credit report summarizes information about the different types of credit accounts you have. This section lists the total number, balances, number current, and number of delinquent accounts. It will include the following account types:

Real estate accounts, any mortgages that you have

• Revolving accounts, like credit cards and lines of credit
• Installment accounts, like loans
• Other accounts
• Collection accounts

Your credit summary will also summarize the number of accounts you have open, closed, in public records, and the number of inquires made against your credit within the past two years.

Public records include information like bankruptcies, judgments, tax liens, state and country court reports and in some states overdue child support. Depending on the type of account, a public record can remain on your credit report between 7-10 years. Only severe financial mishaps appear in this section, not criminal arrest or convictions. Because public records can severely damage your credit, it is best to keep this section of your report clear.

Contains a list of the businesses that have received your credit report in the last 24 months. If you find the name businesses that you do not recognize, you should find out who they are and why they are looking into your credit. The Credit reporting agency may be able to help you with contact information. Only companies that have received your written authorization should be able to check your credit history.

The account history section of your credit report contains the bulk of the information. This section includes each of your credit accounts and details about how you have paid. Your account history will be very detailed, but it is important that you read through to make sure information is reported correctly.

Each account will contain several pieces of information.

• Creditor Name of the institution reporting the information
• Account number associated with the account.  The account number may be scrambled or shortened for privacy purposes.
• Account type, I.e. revolving account, education loan auto loan
• Responsibility towards the loan or debt.  This indicates whether you have individual, joint or authorized user responsibility for the account.
• Monthly payment is the minimum amount you are required to make on the account each month
• Date Opened.  The month and year the account was established
• Date reported is the last date the creditor updated the account information with the credit bureau
• Balance.  The amount owed  on the account at the time the date was reported
• Credit limits or loan amount
• High balance or high credit. Is the highest amount ever charged on the credit card?  For installment loans, high credit is the original loan amount.
• Past due amount – is the amount past due at the time the data was reported
• Remarks or comments made by the creditor about your account
•  Payment status – indicates the status of the account, i.e. current, past due, chare off.  Even if your account is current, it might contain information about previous delinquencies for two years or longer.
• Payment History indicates your monthly payment status since the time your account was established.
• Collections accounts may appear as part of the account history or in the separate sections.  Where information appears depends on the company reporting.