Staff writer · Credit Reporting & Consumer Rights

Lena Whitcomb

21 articles, newest first.

Credit Reporting & Consumer Rights
Spotted a Company You Don't Recognize on Your Credit File? Here's How to Check It
Identify the type of entry, ask the company what prompted it, and use the dispute process if the information does not match your records.
Lena WhitcombNov 3, 2026
Credit Reporting & Consumer Rights
How to get and review your free credit reports from all three bureaus
Each of the three nationwide bureaus may hold a different version of your credit history, so requesting all three free reports and checking them for errors is a practical way to spot problems early.
Lena WhitcombNov 2, 2026
Credit Reporting & Consumer Rights
Wrong on Your Report? Check Each Entry, Then Dispute It in Writing
Checking each report, sending a written dispute to both the reporting company and the business that supplied the information, and tracking the outcome can help correct inaccurate entries.
Lena WhitcombOct 25, 2026
Credit Reporting & Consumer Rights
Credit Bureau Denied Your Dispute? Here Are Your Next Steps Under Federal Law
A rejected dispute leaves several options, from a more specific follow-up to a CFPB complaint or a statement in your file, and each has its own rules.
Lena WhitcombOct 18, 2026
Credit Reporting & Consumer Rights
How Long a Credit Report Dispute Takes Under Federal Rules
Credit reporting companies generally have 30 days to investigate a dispute, with a possible 15-day extension in certain cases, and then five business days to report the outcome.
Lena WhitcombOct 11, 2026
Credit Reporting & Consumer Rights
Recording Your Side of an Unresolved Credit Report Dispute
When a credit report dispute stays unresolved, a consumer statement lets you record your side in your file, though it does not by itself correct the disputed information.
Lena WhitcombOct 4, 2026
Credit Reporting & Consumer Rights
Negative Marks Don't All Expire at Seven Years: Know Your Clock and Your Dispute Rights
The general seven-year limit is only a starting point, since bankruptcies, lawsuits, tenant screening records, and medical debt each follow their own rules.
Lena WhitcombSep 26, 2026
Credit Reporting & Consumer Rights
What Lands on a Credit File, and Which Entries Deserve a Second Look
A credit report records your credit activity but not your full financial picture, so reviewing its identifying details, accounts and payment history can catch errors before they affect a loan application.
Lena WhitcombSep 19, 2026
Credit Reporting & Consumer Rights
Who Can Look at Your Credit Report, and How to Check the Access List
Federal law limits credit report access to specific permissible purposes, and your report's access list is the place to start reviewing who has asked to see it.
Lena WhitcombSep 12, 2026
Credit Reporting & Consumer Rights
What a Credit Inquiry Means on Your Report and How to Check It
Hard and soft inquiries are treated differently, so knowing which one appears on your report tells you whether it may affect your score and what to check next.
Lena WhitcombSep 4, 2026
Credit Reporting & Consumer Rights
Reading an Adverse Action Notice: Reasons, Scores, and Reporting Companies
A denial notice points to the decision-maker, the report behind it, and the deadlines that protect your right to ask questions and dispute errors.
Lena WhitcombAug 28, 2026
Credit Reporting & Consumer Rights
After a Credit Denial: How to Get the Report Behind the Decision
Your denial notice names the credit reporting company and starts a 60-day window, so checking the date and the report early keeps your options open.
Lena WhitcombAug 21, 2026

Lena Whitcomb

Spotted a Company You Don't Recognize on Your Credit File? Here's How to Check It

How to get and review your free credit reports from all three bureaus

Wrong on Your Report? Check Each Entry, Then Dispute It in Writing

Credit Bureau Denied Your Dispute? Here Are Your Next Steps Under Federal Law

How Long a Credit Report Dispute Takes Under Federal Rules

Recording Your Side of an Unresolved Credit Report Dispute

Negative Marks Don't All Expire at Seven Years: Know Your Clock and Your Dispute Rights

What Lands on a Credit File, and Which Entries Deserve a Second Look

Who Can Look at Your Credit Report, and How to Check the Access List

What a Credit Inquiry Means on Your Report and How to Check It

Reading an Adverse Action Notice: Reasons, Scores, and Reporting Companies

After a Credit Denial: How to Get the Report Behind the Decision