How often are consumers entitled to obtain a free credit report from each national credit bureau?

Consumers are entitled to obtain a free credit report from each of the three national credit bureaus—Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax—once a year. This benefit is provided under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, which allows individuals to check their credit reports annually for inaccuracies or fraudulent activity, enabling them to better manage and monitor their credit health. This annual free report is an essential tool for consumers to stay informed about their credit status and to ensure that all reported information is accurate.

While more frequent access to credit reports might seem beneficial for monitoring credit, the law currently stipulates only one report per bureau per year to ensure consumers can use these reports strategically throughout the year, perhaps by spacing them out to check their credit at different intervals. Thus, consumers can request their free report from one bureau every four months if they wish to monitor their credit more frequently without incurring costs, but the overall allowance remains once every twelve months per bureau.