Just about any big purchase you need to make requires a credit check, which is an in-depth analysis of your credit report, so knowing what public records are on a credit report is extremely useful information.
While most people know that your credit score and any derogatory marks will appear on a credit report, it doesn’t stop there. You’ll find that people who view your credit report can view some personal public records like bankruptcy records.
In fact, most thorough background checks will look at your credit report as well, along with additional information to confirm your identity, check for criminal records, and much more. Read on to learn more about the types of public records that appear on a credit report.
What Is a Credit Report?
Credit reports are statements or snapshots of your credit profile at a given time, usually before you apply for a line of credit or take out a big loan. These reports tend to be taken from the major credit bureaus, including Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. Credit reports are also useful for job screening if someone is going to work as a fiduciary or someone who will have a lot of financial responsibilities.
Most credit reports will provide information about someone’s credit history and credit score. Someone’s credit score is a calculation of someone’s creditworthiness by combining metrics like credit age, amount of available credit, credit usage, and much more.
What Public Records Show Up on a Credit Report?
In the past, a lot of public records would show up on a credit report, from tax liens to other financial information about someone. Today, this isn’t always the case; the most common public record that appears on a credit report is bankruptcy information. You should be able to view every type of bankruptcy, including Chapter 7, Chapter 13, and other types of bankruptcy.
Still, this means that you can only view public details about cases pertaining to bankruptcy, and information, including liens and other civil judgments, isn’t always available on a credit report. To find this information, you’ll have to use a public records search tool instead.
How to Find Public Records on a Credit Report
Finding public records on someone’s credit report can be done in a few ways. You can either try your luck with the three major bureaus or run a comprehensive public record search with a third-party tool like PublicRecords.com.
PublicRecords.com
When you want to find all available public records that will appear on a credit report, you can’t go wrong with using PublicRecord.com. It’s a simple tool that’s easy to use and great at helping you find information. You’ll be able to find information about someone’s credit history, along with additional public records, including:
- Bankruptcy details
- Civil court records
- Criminal records
- Information about liens
- Some tax records
- Identity verification
- Contact information
- Address
- Marriage records
- Divorce records
- Sex offender status
Not only will you learn more about someone’s credit history, but you can find all available public records when using PublicRecords.com.
Check with the Three Major Credit Bureaus
Another great way to locate public records on a credit report is to check with the three major credit bureaus. You can do this online by entering your information and making an account on platforms like TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax. Some third-party services offered by banks, like CreditWise from Capital One, can also help you view your credit report.
If you want to view someone else’s credit report, though, you’ll have to submit the necessary paperwork, have them agree to provide you with that information, or bring them through the background check process.
Understanding Public Records on a Credit Report
Credit reports may seem like a simple and quick check that reveals a score, but there’s a lot more to it than that. Anything publicly available can appear on a credit report, including tax issues, liens, derogatory marks, and plenty of additional details.
We always recommend checking all public records on your credit report before applying for a credit card, making a big purchase, or even applying for jobs in the financial sector. It only takes a few minutes to use a tool like PublicRecord.com, and it will give you the full scope of your credit report, unlike apps like Credit Karma, which only tell half the story.
