Credit Repair Report Checklist - Missing Key Items?

You spot discrepancies fast by aligning your Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion credit reports in one view. This reveals missing accounts, errors, or mismatches that may drag down your credit score.

1. Get your three credit reports. Use AnnualCreditReport.com for free weekly access, or buy from each bureau directly.
2. Print each report (three copies) or open them side-by-side in browser tabs/PDF viewer.
3. Grab a spreadsheet (Google Sheets or Excel). Make columns: Item, Equifax, Experian, TransUnion.
4. Copy personal info first: name, SSN, addresses, DOB. Flag mismatches.
5. List all accounts next: creditor name, open/close dates, balances, status. Note what's missing on one or more reports.
6. Add hard inquiries: date, source. Check for unauthorized ones (they stay 2 years, impact scores 1-2 years).
7. Highlight differences in bold or color. Note patterns, like an account on two reports but not the third.
8. Save your comparison sheet. Use it to prioritize disputes.

• Match your full legal name exactly across your three credit reports from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
• Confirm your Social Security Number appears identical on all three credit reports.
• Check your address history lists all prior addresses accurately on each of the three credit reports.
• Verify your date of birth matches precisely across your three credit reports.

You spot accounts missing from one or more of your three credit reports (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) by matching them against your personal records. Gather bank statements, loan docs, and credit card records listing every open or closed account. Cross-check each against all three reports; gaps reveal omissions that creditors must fix via disputes. Missing positive accounts could boost your credit score once added.

• List all your account numbers, open dates, balances, and statuses.
• Scan each report's account sections for omissions.
• Note any account on one or two reports but absent from the third.
• Flag closed accounts (they may drop off after 7-10 years).
• Prepare evidence like statements for disputes if truly missing.

Check for unauthorized or unexplained hard inquiries

You scan the inquiries section on your Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion reports for hard inquiries you don't recognize. Hard inquiries stay visible for two years but impact your credit score for only one year.

You compare inquiry dates against your records, like loan applications or credit checks you authorized. Unauthorized ones, such as from identity theft, demand immediate action (they could wrongly lower your score).

You file disputes online or by mail with each bureau, providing proof like a police report if fraudulent. Track responses within 30 days to remove invalid hard inquiries.

payment receipts, settlement letters, and account statements from creditors to back up your disputes on the three credit reports.

Collect these documents now that you verified personal details and account info across Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. They prove timely payments, resolved debts, or errors. Request statements directly from each creditor or loan servicer, not the credit bureaus (which supply credit reports only).

• Locate payment receipts: Dig up bank statements, canceled checks, or online payment confirmations showing dates and amounts.
• Secure settlement letters: Get official docs from creditors confirming paid-off debts in full or via settlement.
• Obtain account statements: Ask creditors or servicers for recent monthly statements listing balances, payments, and status (expect 30-day turnaround).
• Organize digitally: Scan everything, label by account and date, store in a dedicated folder.

You arm yourself with irrefutable proof. These items strengthen disputes, potentially boosting your credit score faster (though results vary).

You log every dispute you file with the three credit reports (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) by creating a detailed record of submission dates, supporting evidence, and expected 30-day response deadlines. This tracks progress and holds bureaus accountable.

Follow these steps:

1. Record the exact date you submit each dispute online, by mail, or phone.
2. List all evidence attached, like payment receipts or settlement letters (scan and save copies).
3. Calculate and note the 30-day deadline from submission (bureaus must investigate within this window).
4. Update the log with bureau response dates, results, and any follow-up actions needed.
5. Review your log weekly to spot delays and escalate if responses exceed 30 days.

You estimate credit score changes from missing items on your three credit reports by distinguishing positive from negative data. Missing positive tradelines, like on-time payments or old accounts, may lower your score (think average age of accounts or payment history factors). Missing negative items, such as late payments, could raise it. Impacts vary widely by model (FICO vs. VantageScore) and your profile.

• A missing positive installment loan might drop your score 10-30 points roughly, by shortening credit history.
• Missing revolving credit (e.g., credit card with good history) could reduce it 20-50 points, hurting utilization and mix.
• Absent late payment? Your score might climb 20-100+ points, as models weigh negatives heavily.

Precise changes defy exact prediction - use free score simulators from your report providers for personalized estimates.

You resolve mixed or merged files from identity mix-ups by disputing inaccurate entries on your three credit reports from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. These occur when bureaus confuse your information with someone else's, like shared names or SSNs. You provide proof of your identity, such as a driver's license, Social Security card, or utility bills. Request that the bureau correct or separate the mixed information during their 30-day investigation. They must remove or update inaccurate items if verified.

For example, if a derogatory account from "John A. Doe" in another state appears on your report, gather ID documents distinguishing you. Submit disputes online or by mail to all three bureaus with evidence. Another case: merged addresses show unfamiliar late payments; attach statements proving your address history. Bureaus often correct these after review, potentially boosting your credit score.