 TITLE: How to Improve Your Credit Score During a Recession CONTENT: Check Your Credit Score and Report\n----------------------------------\nOne of the first things you should do when a recession hits is check your credit score and get a copy of your credit report so you know where you stand and how much work you'll need to do to improve your credit score.\nYou should check your credit reports from each of the three major credit bureaus—Experian, TransUnion and Equifax—and review them for any inaccuracies. Creditors sometimes make errors when reporting to the credit bureaus. If a creditor mistakenly tells the credit bureau that you made late payments or that your account went to collections, it could hurt your credit score unless you correct the problem. If you see an error, you should file a dispute with that credit bureau to get the information corrected.\nCorrecting inaccurate negative information can potentially improve your credit score. Check your credit report on a regular basis to stay on top of any inaccuracies so you can report them to the credit bureau before they damage your credit score. You can also set up free credit monitoring to get alerted of any changes to your credit report and credit score, as well as get a free monthly credit report and score from Experian. END