Credit

You will make important financial deals with many people that don’t know you throughout your life — people like bankers or landlords. Since they don’t personally know you, to determine if you are a “safe” investment, they turn to a metric called “credit”. Your credit score is a measure of your financial reliability; the higher the number, better. There are three credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, who create your credit report, which is used to determine your credit score.

However, the credit system isn’t as simple as it might seem. Credit scores can plunge unexpectedly, your credit score might differ depending on who checks it, and there are several different agencies all governing different aspects of the credit business. In order to take control of your own finances, you’ll need to understand the role that the credit bureaus play in your life. It can be a nightmare for anyone to navigate on their own. Luckily, you don’t have to.