Thanks to this legislation, credit reporting agencies are required to provide you with a free copy of your credit report on an annual basis upon your request using the established method. Basically, this boils down to requesting your free reports using from each bureau using the centralized system that was designed for this very purpose. If you contact any of the three bureaus directly they will charge you for the report. This is one great example of where following directions actually pays off!

In previous years one would have to pay as much as $19 or more for just one credit report. Now monitoring your credit is easier thanks to this new federal law. The only problem is that the new law only provides you access to one free credit report per year from each of the three credit bureaus.

If you want to keep good track of your credit (as you probably should) you will have to check your credit on a more regular basis. Many financial planners recommend that you check your record on a monthly basis. The easiest way to do this is to sign up for a credit monitoring service that will do the work for you. You can also request your credit report on your own from time to time to check it. You can do this for free by taking advantage of one of the many free credit report promotions available online.

Remember, effectively monitoring your credit is crucial to your financial health because outdated or inaccurate negative information on your credit could potentially cost you a new job, a rental apartment or money in the form of higher interest rates when you borrow from a financial institution -- that is assuming you get approved.

If you are not concerned about being a victim of identity theft and only want to check your credit report on a yearly basis, be sure to take full advantage of your rights under the new law and order your free credit report from each agency using the Annual Credit Report centralized system.

This new centralized system offers consumers the opportunity to order credit reports online, via mail, or by phone. Ordering online is of course by far the fastest and easiest way to get a hold of your credit reports from all three agencies. Depending on the information you provide, you may even be able to have instant access to your free credit reports online.

Individuals without access to the Internet can request their free credit reports using either the toll-free line or by sending a written request to the the following mailing address:

Annual Credit Report Request Service

P.O. Box 105281

Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

When you get ready to request your free reports online, make sure you have all the information you need to request your report handy. Typically they will ask to verify your identity by providing information that only you would have. This is done to protect you and your credit. Having the information you need ready will avoid a delay in receiving your credit report free by mail.