There is a lot of debate out there on when you should check your credit score report. I am sure you have read that you can get your credit report for FREE at www.annualcreditreport.com. Yes you can, but you get it once a year for free with no credit scores. It is worth paying around $29.95 to get your credit scores along with your credit report. The reason is when lenders make there decision process your scores are part of that process. In the current credit report market you can get your free credit reports with scores on a trial period. So if you are getting ready to make a purchase or have been turned down for some reason, you should pull a recent copy of your credit report with credit scores from each credit bureau. Here is a list of triggers to pull a recent copy of your free credit reports with scores.

- Been recently denied for a credit

- Suspect someone is using your identity

- Suspect a creditor may have reported some late payments incorrectly

- Need to fix your credit report

- About to make a big purchase

- Want to know your credit scores

Even if you don't have any of the triggers mentioned above you should pull your credit report every 3 to 4 months for good credit management. You never know if someone is messing up your good name. With the new digital age and access to personal information your social security number is floating around everywhere. Typically someone that gets your social security number is an insider at a company that has personal information on file. With the amount of foreign nationals coming to this country your social security number is a hot item on the black market. It is also a hot item with Illegal Aliens. Identity Theft recently has became officially the biggest crime waive in American History. With all of this being said staying on top of your free credit score report is a must. Once something negative has happened to your credit it could irreversible for 7 years. The only thing you can do to fix the problem is get it removed if it's not your fault. My point being once your scores drop it takes time to regain what the mistake caused.

If you are confused on what type of credit report to get, you might consider a site that offers multiple credit report offers. When you pull your credit report you definitely want a 3-1 credit report with scores from each credit bureau. Some websites offers only give you a 3-1 credit report with one score. You really need all 3 scores. Some sites offer a credit report with no scores. So my point is you need the right credit report if you are going to pay for it.