There are three nationally recognized and highly respected credit bureaus. Their primary function is to gather, update and sell information about consumers' credit history. The information contained in these reports include payment habits of consumers, including loans from banks, credit unions,k finance companies, and department stores. There also can be information included from your landlord, lease companies, rent payments, mortgage companies and the IRS. These reports are compiled and sold to prospective lenders.

In it's simplest form, your credit score tells a lender who you owe, how much you owe them and how diligently you have been paying them. Late payments, returned checks, judgments, liens, and repossessions are just a few items that can negatively affect your credit score and will be found on your credit report.

Use the links below to these highly respected credit bureaus to get more information about credit scores:

Equifax www.equifax.com

Trans Union www.transunion.com

Experian www.experian.com