You can now get free weekly credit reports from all three bureaus via the official site, AnnualCreditReport.com.

Use this official portal to avoid "imposter" sites that try to charge you for data that is legally yours for free.

Whether you're mortgage shopping or just tidying up your finances, a (often called a "tri-merge" report) is your most powerful tool. It combines data from all three major bureaus— Equifax , Experian , and TransUnion —into one view.

Pull your reports 3–6 months before applying for a loan.