Does Checking Your Credit Score Hurt Your Credit?
Checking your own credit score or credit report generally does not hurt your credit score. When you check your own credit, it is typically considered a soft inquiry rather than a hard inquiry. Understanding the difference can help you monitor your credit without worrying that simply checking it will lower your score.
Does Getting Your Credit Report Hurt Your Credit Score?
No. Requesting or reviewing your own credit report does not lower your credit score. Checking your own report is considered a soft inquiry, which does not affect credit scoring. You can review your credit reports regularly to look for errors, unfamiliar accounts, or signs of identity theft.
Why Doesn’t Checking Your Own Credit Hurt Your Score?
When you check your own credit, the request is generally recorded as a soft inquiry. Soft inquiries are not treated the same way as applications for new credit and generally do not affect your credit score. This allows you to review your credit information without creating the type of inquiry that may occur when you apply for a credit card or loan.
What Is the Difference Between a Soft Inquiry and a Hard Inquiry?
A soft inquiry may occur when you check your own credit, when a company reviews your credit for certain prequalification offers or during some account reviews. A hard inquiry generally occurs when you apply for new credit and a lender checks your credit report as part of its decision. Hard inquiries may affect your credit score, while soft inquiries generally do not.
Does Checking Your Credit Report Lower Your Score?
Checking your own credit report generally does not lower your credit score. Reviewing your reports can help you understand what lenders may see, identify accounts you do not recognize and check whether the information being reported appears accurate. You can review your credit reports without worrying that the act of checking them will reduce your score.
What Should You Look for When Checking Your Credit?
Look for accounts you do not recognize, incorrect balances or credit limits, unfamiliar inquiries and payment information that appears inaccurate. You can also watch your credit utilization and overall balances to better understand how your use of credit may be affecting your credit profile
Can Monitoring Your Credit Help You Build Credit?
Monitoring your credit does not directly build your credit score, but it can help you understand the factors that influence it. Watching your balances, payment history and credit utilization can make it easier to identify habits that may be helping or hurting your credit profile and make more informed decisions about using credit.
Where Can You Check Your Credit Report?
You can review your credit reports from the three major credit bureaus through AnnualCreditReport.com, the federally authorized website for free credit reports. Your bank, credit union or credit card issuer may also provide access to a credit score or credit-monitoring tools, although the score shown may differ from the score a lender uses.
Bottom Line
Checking your own credit score or credit report generally does not hurt your credit because it is typically treated as a soft inquiry. Monitoring your credit can help you understand changes in your credit profile, identify possible errors and make more informed decisions before applying for new credit.