What Does – and Doesn’t – Show up on Your Credit Report

Originally published: January 29, 2021.

Here’s a guide to what to look for on your credit report. Learn what’s and isn’t included on your report — and how it affects your credit score.

What appears on your credit report

Because a credit report focuses on your credit history, it includes:

• Proof of identity : Make sure the lender has accurate information on file about your name, any previous names you have used, your address, and your Social Security number .
• Liabilities: Details of credit cards and loans reported as “lines of business,” including account number, balance, payment history, and when the account was opened . 2, 3
• Default: A reduction in business status, such as a “discharge” of an account (meaning the creditor has given up hope of payment and closed the account) or a listing and public record associated with a debt, such as bankruptcy .
• Hard Inquiries: A list of lenders that looked at your report to make a credit decision, and when they did so. If an inquiry is not related to a credit decision, such as when reviewing your own report, it is considered a soft inquiry and should not appear on your credit report .

That may sound like a lot of information. If you have a long credit history, your report may be several pages long. However, there is a lot of information about your financial situation that does not appear on your credit report, and knowing what is and what is not can help you build a good credit history.

What’s Not Listed on Your Credit Report: Income, Savings, Investments

Lenders use your report to determine the risk of lending you money, and having cash is no guarantee that you will use it to pay your bills on time. For this reason, your credit report does not include your: 5 .

• income.
• net worth.
• Debt-to-income (DTI) ratio.
• Savings include retirement funds.
• invest.
• Assets you own such as real estate or cars, jewelry, and art.

When talking about assets, we shouldn’t ignore cash—even though it’s often omitted from credit reports. The logic is that credit reports focus on how much you owe and pay back, not how much you already have. Therefore, your credit report will not include:

• Bank account number or balance.
• Check account activity.
• Prepaid card transactions.
• Debit Card Transactions – Even if you use a debit card, you can use a credit card, so you still aren’t borrowing money when you do this.

There are two exceptions to note. First, some banks that offer overdraft protection on checking accounts may treat this protection as a credit limit and report it that way.6 If you have overdraft protection, you can contact your bank to find out if it should be reported to the credit bureaus.6 Second , FICO is beginning to try to track cash flow. UltraFICO® is an alternative that allows consumers with low credit scores or poor credit histories to improve their scores using responsible cash flow management practices.7 Money-related activity is not visible to people who have not opted in.

If you are responsible, you may not get full trust.

If you pay your rent and utilities on time every month, you’re showing that you’re responsible with your money. So you should see those benefits on your credit report, right? Unfortunately, you usually don’t . 8 That’s because landlords are not required by law to report your rent payments to the credit bureaus. 8 Typically , your credit report won’t show your expenses:

• Rental
• Homeowners Association (HOA) fees.
• Water and electricity bills.
• Cell phone bill.
• A cable or streaming service account.
• insurance.

Unfortunately, if you default on any of these payments, the bad news will appear on your credit report. This is because collection agencies are members of the credit reporting agencies and report the accounts they handle to them .

However, there are ways to report your responsible payment history on these items to your advantage. Assuming your landlord will cooperate with your rent inspections, rental reporting services can help you report your rent payments to the credit bureaus. 8 Some of these services are free, while others can cost more than $100 per year, so it’s a good idea to do some research before choosing one. 9

One final note on the business line: Since this report is intended to guide lenders, it focuses on the money you have as a lender. Other money you owe is not usually reported. For example, money you borrowed from your 401(k) plan (money you borrowed from yourself) will not show up . 10 Medical debt is not reported unless it is assigned to a collection agency . 11

Personal information is usually private

Credit reports contain enough identifying information to ensure the report is accurate . 12 Beyond that, most personal information remains private. For example, your marital status will not appear on your credit report . 5 If you and your spouse have multiple joint accounts, creditors will see the names of both account holders and may assume you are married. Even so, you will not see any information about accounts held exclusively for your spouse. If you do not have joint accounts, lenders cannot tell from your credit report that you are married. Other personal information lenders will not find on your report: 5

• Race or ethnicity.
• educate.
• Profession.
• Medical conditions.
• Criminal record.

Did you know that as an added security measure to prevent fraud, American Express reports reference numbers – not your actual account number – to credit bureaus?

Credit reports are designed to help lenders make credit decisions. As such, they focus on debts and how those debts are paid back. However, if you default on payments and are turned over to a collection agency, financial obligations that aren’t normally covered may be reported. Managing your money with these principles in mind can help you keep your credit report in good shape.

1 “Understanding Your Credit Report and How to Get a Copy,” USA.gov

2 Experian’s My Credit Report

3 “What is a Credit Report?” Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

4 “What is a credit report?” Experian

5 “What’s not included on your credit report?” Experian

6 “How does overdraft protection work?” Expert

7 “UltraFICO Results”, UltraFICO

8 “Will my rental history be recorded on my credit report?” Experian

9 “How to Choose a Lease Reporting Service”, Experian

10 “How to Borrow Money from Your 401(k) Plan,” Experian

11 “Can Medical Bills Hurt Your Credit?”, Experian

12 “Understand Your Expert Credit Report”, Experian

13 “Credit Scores,” Federal Trade Commission