There are many ways an individual can be identified as a recognized citizen of the country they belong to. A citizen is held accountable for a huge amount of social responsibilities that is entailed with an adult working in any country. The amount of facilities any country can offer to its citizens is directly proportional to the amount each individual contributes towards funds to be used for the overall development and improvement of amenities. These funds are most recognized by the term: tax. It is a person’s duty to pay taxes to the country or the state they live in as much as it is the responsibility of the state or the country to provide benefits to its inhabitants in exchange of the taxes paid.
Discussing the term in layman’s term, what are the basic facilities that are made possible owing to tax. Facilities like better connectivity through electricity, roads, water supply, and good medical facilities make it possible for a commoner to spend hassle-free days. Taxes also go toward public services like transportation, repair work in and around houses and buildings, and in instances of act of God. In the absence of taxes, all of these duties would single-handedly fall on the shoulders of the government which is both unfair and impossible.
Seeing the focus that is given to taxes, the government of each state and the federal government body have created a form of identification which is related to the taxes one pays to the local and the country wide government. This ID becomes the identity of the person in terms of taxes paid and value added to the society. This form of identification is widely accepted not only in the country but throughout the world as an accepted form of identification for the individual. The secondary function that tax identification entails is to make sure every earning citizen does their bit in paying taxes for the betterment of the local and national facilities and fulfill their responsibility as a citizen.
Officially known as the TIN, or taxpayer identification number is provided by the social security administration or the internal revenue service.
It is in this form of identification that one might find the much-coveted social security number that is the most important form of identification for any US citizen. It is in this card where one would find the identification details of their employer. Having the identification facilitated by the US government is the most important step taken by an American once they venture into their adult life.
There are companies that work on collecting and maintaining credit information of consumers. These are known as credit reporting agencies (CRAs). There are three such major CRAs in the country, namely Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Apart from these, there are other smaller-scale agencies too that specialize at the job. If you’re worried about “where to get my credit score?,” the larger CRAs are the most reliable bets.
These major CRAs obtain information from companies that you hold business and transactions with. People or companies that lend you money regularly report to these CRAs on your repaying status. There is also detailed information on the amount you are indebted and whether you have ever defaulted on your payments. Aside from the reports obtained from lenders, these companies also tally your general records based on certain other aspects. Some of these aspects are your public records from the local and state judiciary. These include your tax records and bankruptcy information. This information makes up an important chunk of your credit score and its report.
Equifax
Present in 24 countries, Equifax is an agency that offers consumers protection against identity theft and credit fraudulence. They also sell credit reports and credit monitoring assistance to businesses.
Experian
Experian started off in London and is now a trusted agency in 39 different countries. It provides you with a credit score, credit report, and even credit tracker on subscription. The agency uses FICO 8 system of credit score calculation. Experian was a part of Forbes’ “World’s Most Innovative Companies” in 2018.
TransUnion
Based across 30 countries with a database of over 1 billion consumers, TransUnion is another CRA giant. The agency, like the other ones, will provide you with your credit score and your credit reports. In case you decide to freeze your TransUnion credit report, it will also go the extra mile to notify Equifax and Experian, which frankly is a big help especially in case of identity theft and credit fraud.
So, the next time you are sat wondering “where to get my credit score?,” think of these three giants that provide you with an annual credit score and credit report for free once each year. However, if you are looking for more frequent updates, you can subscribe to their services and receive your monthly updates.
Did you know that you have more than a single credit score? Agencies calculate your credit score based on the data in your credit reports. If you are wondering, “where to get my credit score?,” there are three main credit reporting agencies. These can have different credit scores for you if your information on each of their credit reports is different. Also, these agencies charge a fee to reveal your credit score.
Recently, it has become easier to track and get hold of your credit score without paying any fees. You can get it from your credit card company, your loan provider, and even from a non-profit counselor. Here are a few tips you can use to check your score.