{"id":150305,"date":"2023-07-17T16:27:48","date_gmt":"2023-07-17T16:27:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businessyield.com\/?p=150305"},"modified":"2023-07-17T16:27:50","modified_gmt":"2023-07-17T16:27:50","slug":"major-credit-bureaus-definition-what-they-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businessyield.com\/business-services\/major-credit-bureaus-definition-what-they-do\/","title":{"rendered":"Major Credit Bureaus: Definition & What They Do.","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The majority of people have no idea that they have multiple credit ratings because of how complex the topic is. Each credit bureau uses a little different methodology and sets a slightly different set of criteria when assigning you a score; this is in addition to the fact that several types of scores (such as FICO and VantageScore) can apply to the same person. Perhaps you’re unfamiliar with major credit bureaus and have questions about why they get to determine something as crucial as your credit score. Learn more about the three major credit bureaus, and how they operate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Are Credit Bureaus?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Credit bureaus are companies that collect and organize clients’ financial information in order to provide prospective lenders with a basis for determining whether or not to extend credit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Credit scores are based on the information that is included in the thorough credit reports that they generate. A person’s eligibility for a loan or credit card may be determined by their credit score, a three-digit number usually ranging from 300 to 850. They can also affect the loan amount and interest rate that a lender is willing to give you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, the commercial companies known as credit bureaus have their data collection, dissemination, and disclosure practices overseen by the federal government through the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A credit bureau can only function as a company if it receives data about you from the financial institutions, shops, and even landlords with whom you interact. Credit bureaus collect this data about you, do analysis on it, and then sell it to creditors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Do Credit Bureaus Do?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Credit bureaus are essentially information aggregators. After gathering this data, a credit score is developed, which is used by the majority of lenders as part of their decision to extend credit. Your credit reports are the basic data from which your credit score is calculated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You are entitled to one free copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies once each year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simply put, credit bureaus collect and resell information. Your loan approval is not contingent on them. When you apply for a loan at a bank, for instance, they may check your credit. FICO creates the credit scoring model (essentially a computer program), and one of the most popular credit bureaus, Experian, may supply the data. Using information obtained from credit bureaus, your bank will determine what credit score is sufficient for approval and provide a final yes or no judgment. Also, read Credit Reporting Bureau: What is Credit Reporting Bureau?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How the Credit Bureaus Collect Information on You<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The three major credit bureaus all gather essentially the same foundational data about their customers. Name, address, Social Security number, and date of birth are all examples of such personally identifiable information. Debts, payments, and credit-related applications are all part of one’s credit report. Credit bureaus routinely solicit data from mortgage and student loan providers as well as other loan originators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sallie Mae might notify a credit bureau that you are 45 days or more behind on your student loan payments. With federal loans, the borrower has 90 days before the loan servicer is required to record the debt as delinquent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The IRS does not notify any government agencies of unpaid or late income taxes. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) may file a federal tax lien (a legal claim on a taxpayer’s property) with the county clerk’s office if the taxpayer fails to pay their tax bill within a reasonable amount of time or if the taxpayer owes substantial back taxes. Because a tax lien is a matter of public record, government agencies have access to this type of material through independent investigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Credit reports might vary from bureau to agency since not all lenders report credit activity to all bureaus. Even when lenders report to all three bureaus, the timing at which their information appears on credit reports might vary from month to month due to the varying schedules used by each bureau.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Are the Three Major Credit Bureaus?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion are the three major credit bureaus that are responsible for managing the facts that go into determining your credit ratings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the major credit bureaus differ in the products and services they provide, they all share a common function: keeping tabs on consumers’ credit histories. To be more specific, each institution keeps track of its own data relating to your accounts, sums owed, and payments made. Due to their autonomy, credit bureaus do not always share the same information about a given consumer. Anyone who has ever applied for a credit card, mortgage, or loan has at least one credit file with one of the three major credit bureaus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. Experian<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Experian, which is recognized as one of the major credit bureaus in the world, provides service to customers in more than one hundred countries. The company actively maintains credit information on about 220 million or more customers in the United States, in addition to 40 million businesses in the United States. In addition, the company provides credit monitoring, free credit ratings, and more tools for consumers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Equifax<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Since its establishment in 1899, Equifax has developed into one of the three primary credit bureaus that are currently in business. This company not only gathers information on consumers and evaluates that information, but it also provides consumers with credit and identity monitoring services and resources. These services and resources can help consumers improve or grow their credit, or they can freeze their credit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. TransUnion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It is said that TransUnion is responsible for monitoring the credit information of hundreds of millions of people in 30 nations all over the world. This gives the company a significant presence around the world. TransUnion, much like the other major credit bureaus, provides identity and credit monitoring services, as well as free credit tools and resources, information regarding legal rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), and other services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Types of Information Credit Bureaus Collect<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are a plethora of credit bureaus, and their methods vary widely. However, Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian are the major credit bureaus that are relied upon for the majority of important loan decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. Personal Information<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Credit bureaus need your personal details to be able to identify you and give you a unique credit profile. Typically, this entails<\/p>\n\n\n\n