Now that it's a new year and many of us are starting our taxes, you might want to check your credit score.
After all, it has a big impact on your ability to get a car or home loan.
Unfortunately, many websites that offer a "free" credit score are not truly free, because to get that score free of charge you have to sign up for a paid service, typically at $12 a month.
But there are now some ways to see that elusive score for free.
Quick, free websites
Credit Karma (www.creditkarma.com) and Mint (www.mint.com) are two legitimate sites that will show you your score with no fees attached, other than promotions for other services, which you can easily say no to.
The only downside: It's not your official FICO score, which mortgage lenders will look at, though it is very close.
The better news: for 2015 a growing number of credit cards, like Discover and Capital One, among others, will let members see their official score annually for free.
The best bet is to call your card issuer and see if they offer it.
One caution before you sign up
Before you sign up for a free score, just beware of websites with the words "free score" or "free credit score" in their names.
Despite tougher FTC disclosure rules, many of them still want to charge you $10 to $15 a month for access to your score, which can come to almost $200 a year.
So, unless you are dealing with your own card issuer (such as Discover, for instance), never give your credit or debit card number when signing up for a free credit score, or free credit report for that matter.
To see your credit report free of charge, go to the Annual Credit Report site at www.annualcreditreport.com.
That way you don't waste your money.
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