Credit Glossary

120 Days Late

If you missed a scheduled payment on an account by 120 days, the company may report your Payment Status as 120 Days Late.

90 Days Late

If you missed a scheduled payment on an account by 90 days, the company may report your Payment Status as 90 Days Late.

60 Days Late

If you missed a scheduled payment on an account by 60 days, the company may report your Payment Status as 60 Days Late.

30 Days Late

If you missed a scheduled payment on an account by 30 days, the company may report your Payment Status as 30 Days Late.

Account #

The unique number assigned by a creditor to identify your account with them, such as a Credit Card Number. We hide several digits of the account number to protect your information from identity theft.

Account Name

The name of the company associated with the account.

Account Status

A brief message describing the status of the account. Accounts may be open, closed, unclassified, or unknown. Unclassified accounts include deferred, lost or stolen, refinanced, and transferred accounts. Unknown accounts do not have enough information provided by the credit bureau to determine a status.

Account Type

The type of the account; for example "Real Estate Loan" or "Credit Card".

Accounts

Accounts, also known as "tradelines", are a generic term for all Real Estate Loans, Installment Loans, Credit Cards, Retail Cards, and Collections.

Accounts Delinquent Right Now

The total number of your accounts that are currently reporting a delinquent payment.

Accounts Ever 30 Days Late (But Not Worse)

The total number of your accounts reporting at least one 30-day late payment, but nothing worse (such as a 30-day late payment).

Accounts Ever 60 Days Late or Worse

The total number of your accounts reporting at least one 60-day late payment, or worse.

Accounts Ever 60 Days Late or Worse

The total number of your accounts reporting at least one 60-day late payment, or worse.

Accounts Ever Late

The total number of accounts reporting any late payments or other delinquencies.

Address

The address for the company associated with the record.

Address(es)

Your current and recent previous addresses, according to the credit bureau.

Alert Date

The date the alert was delivered to us by the credit bureau.

Also Known As

Any known aliases associated with your credit report.

Amount

The amount owed through your Public Record.

Authorized User

Person permitted by a credit cardholder to charge goods and services on the cardholder's account but who is not responsible for repayment of the debt. The account displays on the credit reports of the cardholder as well as the authorized user. If you wish to have your name permanently removed as an authorized user on an account, you will need to notify the credit grantor.

Average Age of Accounts

The average age of all the accounts on your credit report (including closed accounts). 15% of your credit score is based on your average age of accounts.

Average Credit Card Limit

The average of the credit limits on all your open credit card accounts.

Balance

The current amount owed on the account.

Balance Date

The date that the balance owed on the account was determined.

Balance on Open Credit Cards

The total amount owed on all your open credit cards.

Balance on Open Retail Cards

The total amount owed on all your open retail cards.

Balloon Payment

If your account has a large final payment as part of the terms, this is the amount of that payment.

Collection Accounts

The total number of your accounts handled by a collection agency. This occurs when a debt is charged-off and then sold to a collection agency who will try to recover all or a portion of the debt.

Co-maker

A co-maker is sometimes required in situations where an applicant's risk level doesn't qualify them for a loan. A co-maker is legally responsible to repay the charges in the joint account agreement.

Comments

Optional comments or notes appended to the account by the company holding the account, or by the credit bureau.

Company Name

The name of the company associated with the record.

Company Sold-to

If your account was bought or sold, the name of the company who purchased the account.

Co-signer

Person who pledges in writing as part of a credit contract to repay the debt if the borrower fails to do so. The account displays on both the borrower's and the co-signer's credit reports.

Court

The name of the court presiding over your Public Record.

Credit and Retail Card Debt

The total balance of all your credit and retail cards.

Credit and Retail Cards Maxed Out

The number of open credit and retail cards you have where the balance is at least 90% of the credit limit.

Credit Available

The total you have available to spend on credit and retail cards. For example, if you had a total credit limit of $100 and carried a $10 balance, then your credit available would be $90.

Credit Cards

Credit Cards are credit accounts that you can use anywhere such as Visa, or Mastercard. Open Credit Cards can still be used, Closed Credit Cards can no longer be used.

Credit Cards Ever Late

The total number of your credit card accounts reporting any late payments.

Credit Limit

The amount of credit available to borrow on an account.

Credit Limit for Open Credit Cards

The total amount of money available to borrow on all your credit card accounts.

Credit Limit for Open Retail Cards

The total amount of money available to borrow on all your retail card accounts.

Credit Report

Confidential report on a consumer's payment habits as reported by their creditors to a consumer credit reporting agency.

Credit Score

Credit Scores are the numerical results of a calculation based on the information in your Credit Report that lenders use to determine the risk they take by approving a loan or line of credit.

Credit Usage

The percentage of credit that you have used. Also called credit utilization, the percentage is determined by dividing your balance by your credit limit.

Credit Used

The percentage of your total credit limit across all credit and retail cards that has been spent. For example, if you had a total credit limit of $100 and carried a $10 balance, then your Credit Used % would be 10%.

Definition of Credit Score

A Credit Score summarizes your credit history into a number that lets lenders and others quickly know how responsible you have been with your past credit accounts and loans...

Data Unavailable

The company did not provide any information for this period. This has no impact on your credit.

Date Open

Indicates the date an account was opened.

Delinquent

Accounts classified into categories according to the time past due. Common classifications are 30, 60, 90 and 120 days past due. Special classifications also include status like charge-off, repossession, or transferred.

Discharge

Granted by the court to release a debtor from most of his debts that were included in a bankruptcy. Any debts not included in the bankruptcy - alimony, child support, liability for willful and malicious conduct and certain student loans - cannot be discharged.

Dismissed

When a consumer files a bankruptcy, the judge may decide to not allow the consumer to continue with the bankruptcy. If the judge rules against the petition, the bankruptcy is known as dismissed.

Dispute

If a consumer believes an item of information on their credit report is inaccurate or incomplete, they may challenge, or dispute the item. The bureau will investigate and correct or remove any inaccurate information or information that cannot be verified.

Failed to Pay

If you missed a scheduled payment on account by a long duration, the company may report you as Failed to Pay. Companies will typically do this after 120 or 180 days of delinquency, and usually close the account when they do so.

Filing Date

The date your Public Record was filed with the government.

High Balance

The highest amount that you have owed on an account to date.

Inquiries

Every time you apply for credit, a "hard inquiry" is placed on your Credit Report. Having too many hard inquiries could indicate to lenders that you're trying to overspend. Hard inquiries stay on your report for 25 months. 10% of your credit score is based on your number of hard inquiries. Soft inquiries, which occur when you check your own credit report or when someone reviews your report for a different situation (like a background check), do not appear on your credit report and do not impact your credit.

Inquiry Date

The date that the company acquired a copy of your credit report.

Installment Debt

The total balance of all your installment loans. Installment Loans are loans with fixed amounts that you pay over time such as Student or Auto Loans. Mortgages are an exception and are not considered Installment Loans.

Installment Loans

Installment Loans are loans with fixed amounts that you pay over time such as Student or Auto Loans. Mortgages are an exception and are not considered Installment Loans.

Involuntary Bankruptcy

A petition filed by certain credit grantors to have a debtor judged bankrupt. If the bankruptcy is granted, it is known as an involuntary bankruptcy.

Last Updated

The last date the account information was updated by the creditor.

Lien

Legal document used to create a security interest in another's property. A lien is often given as a security for the payment of a debt. A lien can be placed against a consumer for failure to pay the city, county, state or federal government money that is owed. It means that the consumer's property is being used as collateral during repayment of the money that is owed.

Monthly Payment

The minimum required monthly payment, according the company holding the account.

Name

Your name, as reported by the credit bureau.

New Address

The new address that has been associated with your credit report.

New Phone

The new phone number that has been associated with your credit report.

OK (Payment Status)

The company reported that during this month, you made all scheduled payments.

Oldest Account

Length of time since the oldest account on your credit report has been opened.

Original Creditor

If the account was bought or sold, the name of the company who originally held the account.

Ownership

Indicates who is responsible for an account; such as single, joint, or co-signer.

Past-Due Amount

The balance currently reported as past-due by the company holding the account.

Payment Status

A brief message describing your payment history with a specific account. Reflects the previous history of the account, including any delinquencies occurring during the previous seven years; such as "Current", "30 Days Late", and "Charged-Off".

Personal Statement

You may request that a general explanation about the information on your report be added to your report. The statement remains for two years and displays to anyone who reviews your credit information. Most people do not have one of these, and they are usually regarding identity theft, or active military service.

Phone #

The phone number for the company associated with the record.

Plaintiff

The person or entity who initially brings legal action against another (defendant) seeking a court decision.

Public Records

Information reported by government agencies about debts associated with bankruptcies, tax liens, and judgments.

Real Estate and Other Debt

The total balance of all your real estate loans. This number may include some other accounts that are not classified as specifically installment loans, credit cards, or retail cards.

Real Estate Loan Payment Status

The payment status of any open real estate loans. If you have multiple real estate loans, this value represents the worst payment status reported by any of the loans.

Real Estate Loans

Real Estate Loans, like Installment Loans, are loans with fixed amounts that you pay over time. Real Estate Loans deal specifically with mortgages, refinancing mortgages, and home equity loans.

Reference #

The unique number assigned by the courts to identity your Public Record.

Retail Cards

Retail Cards are credit accounts that you can use in one place only, such as Gas Cards or Department Store Cards.

Risk Level

Credit Risk Levels are ranges of Credit Scores that lenders use to determine the risk they take by approving a loan or line of credit.

Source

The business or organization that supplied certain information that appears on the website.

Status Date

The date that the payment status on the account was determined.

Terms

This refers to the debt repayment terms of your agreement with a creditor, such as 48 or 60 months.

Time Since Late

The amount of time that has passed since the last late payment or other negative event was posted to your credit report.

Total Accounts

Total number of accounts appearing on your credit report.

Total Credit Limit

The total amount of money available to borrow on all your credit or retail card accounts.

Total Debt

The total amount owed on all your accounts.

Type

The type of the company that acquired a copy of your credit report.

Type of Record

The type of Public Record reported; this can be various types of tax liens, bankruptcies, or judgments.

Worse Current Status

The worst payment status of any account right now.

Worst Status

The worst payment status of any account, even if it happened in the past.

Year of Birth

The year you were born, according to the credit bureau.