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How to Read A Credit Report: A Step-by-Step Guide
How to Read A Credit Report: A Step-by-Step Guide

Understanding the TransUnion Report

Chelsea avatar
Written by Chelsea
Updated this week

This guide explains how to read and interpret key sections of the TransUnion Full Credit Report.

Section 1: Personal Information

SSN Message

During the identity verification process, the applicant enters their SSN which is compared to the SSN in their TransUnion file. The message in this field will tell you the comparison results.

  • "Exact SSN Match" – The SSN entered is an exact match to their TransUnion credit file.

  • "Partial SSN Match" – The SSN entered differs slightly from TransUnion records, often due to a typo. This does not indicate an incorrect credit report. TransUnion has still verified the identity and provided the correct file.

Address History

  • Lists current and previous addresses reported to TransUnion.

  • Addresses appear when reported through credit applications, public record filings, etc.

  • The reported date indicates when the applicant was first associated with the address.

Section 2: Profile Summary

Record Counts

  • Tradelines – Total number of credit accounts (credit cards, car loans, etc.).

  • Collections – Total number of accounts in collection.

  • Public Records – Total number of public records (bankruptcies).

  • Inquiries – Number of credit inquiries (typically 2 years of history).

Derogatory Items

  • Summary of negative marks, such as late payments or accounts in collections.

Tradeline Summary

  • Quick view of all accounts, broken down by the type of account

    • Revolving Accounts – Credit accounts with changing balances and due amounts.

    • Installment Accounts – Loans with fixed payments (car loans, personal loans, etc.).

Section 3: Resident's Score

What Is the Resident's Score?

  • A rental-specific risk score developed by TransUnion.

  • Based on credit data from 2.9 million individuals who experienced negative rental outcomes.

Key Factors

  • List of factors that impacted the score.

Section 4: Individual Tradeline Details

Detail Provided for Each Account

  • Important dates, terms, credit limits, account type, current status, and balances.

Payment History

  • A visual graph showing monthly payment history, including late payments.

Section 5: Inquiries

Understanding Credit Inquiries

  • Hard inquiries appear when a lender checks the applicant’s credit for a loan or credit card application.

  • Only hard inquiries from the past two years are displayed.

Section 6: Collections

Collection Overview

  • Snapshot of collection accounts and the total balance owed.

Individual Collection Account Details

  • Displays open date, original lender, account status, and balance amounts.

  • Medical and student loan collections do not impact the score.

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