 TITLE: How to Update Your Credit Report With New Personal Information CONTENT: Your credit reports are based on information in credit bureaus' databases, much of which comes from the data that creditors send to the bureaus. When you apply for a credit card or loan, the creditor may review your credit report and also send the credit bureau information from your application, such as your name, Social Security number, address, telephone number and the name of your employer. Once your account is open, the creditor will likely send a monthly update with your latest payment status (late, on time, etc.), as well as your current account balance.\nIf you need to update your personal information on your credit report, you can generally do this by updating your information with your creditors. For example, if you move, you'll need to update your address to ensure the creditor can send you mail, including your monthly statements. The next time the creditor sends an update to the credit bureaus, it'll pass along your new address, which can then be added to the personal information section of your credit report.\nThe same process could work if you're trying to update other personal details, such as a new name. However, your phone number and employment generally only get reported to a bureau when you apply for a new account.\nYou can make a direct request to a credit bureau if you don't want to use a creditor as an intermediary or don't have any open accounts. To do so, you may also need to send proof of the change, such as copies of utility bills or bank statements with your new address. END