Free credit report: Equifax, Experian, TransUnion extend free weekly updates until 2022

Coral Murphy Marcos

| USA TODAY
Senate passes $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill, but third stimulus check not in mail yetThird stimulus check is in the COVID relief bill, who gets the $1400 stimulus check is settled, but the $1.9 trillion dollar bill isn’t quite law yet.USA TODAYEquifax, Experian and TransUnion have announced they will continue to offer free weekly credit reports until after Tax Day 2022 to help Americans keep track of their financial health amid the COVID-19 pandemic.“Access to financial information and records on a more frequent basis helps people plan for their future while also taking care of the present,” said Equifax CEO Mark W. Begor, Experian CEO Brian Cassin and Transunion CEO Chris Cartwright in a joint statement this month. “We strive to make credit more accessible and available to people every day and we hope continuing to make free credit reports available each week is helpful to consumers.”A year after COVID-19: How the economy cratered, then bounced back, a year after COVID changed everythingStimulus package: Can I receive a stimulus check for a spouse or relative who died?Previously, Americans were entitled to one free credit report from each agency per year.Amid the economic setback caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the bureaus began offering weekly reports for a one-year period, totaling 156 free credit reports over 12 months.Credit reports provide an overview of an individual’s bill payment history, current debt, and other financial data that is used by lenders when considering mortgage, credit card and auto loan applications, and determining what interest rate to offer.“For consumers, ensuring that one’s credit remains in good standing during this time goes beyond paying mortgages, auto loans, credit card bills and other financial obligations each month,” the statement said.The agencies recommend that consumers review each section of their credit report, including name and contact information as well as current and closed accounts and derogatory information such as collections, which can drag down their scores.If you find an error in one of your reports, contact that credit reporting agency to initiate a dispute. To obtain weekly credit reports, users can access www.annualcreditreport.com.Follow Coral Murphy on Twitter @CoralMerfi

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