Your credit report contains several key types of information about your financial history:
- Personal Information:
- Name, address, date of birth, Social Insurance Number
- Current and previous employers
- Credit Accounts (Tradelines):
- Types of accounts (credit cards, mortgages, loans)
- Account opening dates
- Credit limits or loan amounts
- Account balances
- Payment history
- Inquiries:
- Hard inquiries from when you apply for credit
- Soft inquiries (e.g., your own credit checks) which don't affect your score
- Public Records:
- Bankruptcies
- Court judgments
- Tax liens
- Collections:
- Accounts that have been sent to collections agencies
- Consumer Statements:
- Optional personal statements you can add to explain items on your report
It's important to note that your credit report does not include:
- Your income
- Purchases paid in full with cash or cheques
- Information about business accounts (unless you're personally liable)
- Medical history, ethnicity, or criminal records
Regularly checking your credit report allows you to ensure its accuracy and detect any potential fraudulent activity.