Get free access to your credit report during the health crisis

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Millions of Americans are stressing over losing their job, not being able to pay bills and it's impacting their credit report. That's why three national credit reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian, and Transunion are offering free weekly access to credit reports for the next year.

This is one way Americans who are struggling through the pandemic can monitor their financial situation and make adjustment or correct any reporting errors.

Credit reports have information about credit history, balances, payment history. What each report says about you can determine whether you get a loan or not. One suggestion is to check all three credit reports because each report can be different.

If you’re one of the many Americans struggling to pay your bills right now because of the Coronavirus crisis, here’s what you can do:

• Contact the companies to which you owe money. Ask if they can postpone your payment, put you on a payment plan, or give you a temporary forbearance. 
• Check your credit report regularly to make sure it’s correct — especially any new payment arrangements or temporary forbearance. The recently passed CARES Act generally requires your creditors to report these accounts as current. 
• Fix any errors or mistakes that you spot on your credit report. Notify the credit reporting agencies directly. You can find out more by reading Disputing Errors on Credit Reports.

To get your free reports, go to AnnualCreditReport.com.