Profile:
Education level does not affect credit scores
Dear Experian,
I just graduated and read somewhere that the higher your education the higher your score. How do I inform Experian to add my bachelor’s degree completion?
- FNS
It is possible to not have a credit report
Dear Experian,
Is it possible not to have a report? I am a resident since 2003!
- NIC
Replacing lost PIN to thaw frozen credit file
Dear Experian,
I placed security freeze on my account and have misplaced the pin needed to temporary remove freeze. How do I get a replacement PIN?
- EGM
Getting your personal report is the first step in getting help
Dear Readers,
We receive so many letters that begin, “How can I…..,” and in most cases the problem is easily solved with one simple step. In almost all cases, the answer is that you need to first get a copy of your credit report directly from the credit reporting company.
Disputing information does not hurt your credit scores
Dear Experian,
Does disputing information with Experian cause credit scores to lower?
- MIL
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Going over the limit on your credit card
Dear Experian,
What happens if your credit card goes over your limit? What are the best options in your opinion?
- JNT
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You can get a free annual report even if you have frozen your credit file
Dear Experian,
Does putting a security freeze on my file prevent me from getting my free annual credit report?
- CPI
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Removing negative information from your report
Dear Experian,
How do I get companies to remove negative remarks off my accounts? I also have an account with a zero balance that I paid off, and it’s still on my report.
- ALT
Income information isn’t part of a credit report
Dear Experian,
My name was on one of my parents’ credit cards for emergencies. My name was taken off the card a couple months ago. When I applied for a credit card I got denied. The reason stated was, “Your total credit obligations, which include outstanding credit lines, are too high to meet our approval guidelines, when compared to your stated income.” What can I do to get it expunged from my record?
- LEN
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Authorized user accounts can be removed from report upon request
Dear Experian,
Is an authorized user responsible for the debt? If an authorized user is removed from the credit card, can the credit card also be removed from the credit report? I also read somewhere that credit bureaus will not take into account authorized users for credit scores. Is that true?
- CHS
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Report shows all inquiries, but they may be counted as only one
Dear Experian,
I was under the impression that if you sought after a specific type of loan, such as an auto loan, within a 10 day time frame that it would only post on your report once. However, one car dealer hit my credit three different times for the same auto loan application. Why are all three on my report?
- KIR
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Credit report can’t show half a mortgage
Dear Experian,
My son in-law and I purchased a house together in only his and my name. Can I contact the credit bureaus and let them know that only 50 percent of that dollar amount is my responsibility? That way I would have a lower credit ratio.
- RAE
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Both of married couple’s credit reports are considered when applying for a home
Dear Experian,
If you are married can you join your scores together to get approved on a house loan?
- BRI
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Closing accounts after death of husband
Dear Experian,
My husband died on July 10, 2009. I am closing out nearly all the credit cards he had. How will that affect my credit score?
- PRE
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You cannot get credit report information for a specific date in the past
Tweet Dear Experian, Is there any way to get information that was on my credit report in August 1994? – HNT Dear HNT, Think about what it would take to produce a report from any day in the past. Experian would have to keep a credit report for every person with a credit history [...]
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U.S. credit report won’t transfer to the U.K.
Dear Experian,
I have a great credit history here in the United States, but I’m planning on moving to England. Would I need to build my credit history from scratch once I settle in the UK?
- AGA
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When paid off accounts are deleted
Dear Experian,
If I pay off a negative account on my credit report, will it be removed from my credit and raise my score or will it remain on there seven years and not change my score? How does this work?
- TYK
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Improving your credit is a matter of common sense
Dear Experian,
I would love to get an answer on how to increase my credit score other than common sense answers like, “Pay your bill on time.” No duh. I’m past that. I didn’t pay on time, now what? Or, get a credit card. My credit is messed up. I can’t get a credit card. I hope you have some information that can actually be applied, like who to pay first. If it’s already in collection should I even pay it off?
- UPE
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Updating your report when a tax lien is released
Dear Experian,
I have a tax lien release from the IRS. I was going to send it to all bureaus until I read that the credit bureaus get tax lien information automatically from the courts. Does the IRS usually update the bureaus? If not, how and when do you pick up that information?
- HMS
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The effect on credit scores of paying off and closing credit cards
Dear Experian,
Will paying off and closing a credit card hurt my credit score?
- IND
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Cosigning for a student loan can affect your credit report as well as the student’s
Dear Experian,
If a person cosigns a student loan for a college student, how does it affect their credit? Does the amount of the loan get included in their debt-to-income ratio?
- CHA
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Impact of inquiries is minimal when shopping for a mortgage
Dear Experian,
We have looked at a foreclosure property and have submitted an offer. Our mortgage credit score was 820. The problem is that the bank is handling the foreclosure sale as an auction, so I have no idea where we stand since there are several bidders. If we don’t get this property then we will need to have our credit checked later by another bank. How will these two checks affect my credit score?
- WKI
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Monitoring services still work when you freeze your credit file
Dear Experian,
If I have my file frozen with all three national credit reporting companies can I still have credit monitored? I do have a couple of monitoring services, but I’m not so sure they are working. I want both if possible, frozen and monitored. Is this possible?
- DYN
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The relationship between personal and business credit reports
Dear Experian,
You have recently responded to a question for those that short-sell their homes without being late on their mortgage payments. Under the same line, what effect does it have doing a short-sale for those people that plan to set up a business in the future?
- OGC
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“Paid, Closed/Never Late” account status helps your credit standing
Dear Experian,
My Experian credit report has some accounts that have “Status: Paid, Closed/Never Late” with “Status Details: this account is scheduled to continue on record until” with a date. Is this a good thing on my report, a bad thing, something I want to get taken off?
- RYE
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About Ask Experian
Welcome to Ask Experian, hosted by Maxine Sweet, Experian's Vice President of Public Education. The blog responses draw on the knowledge of Experian's experts in credit reporting, credit scoring, direct marketing, automotive history, identity theft and other areas from across the company to answer readers' questions about these and other important topics.