Taxes are filed on time! Have you checked your credit rating?

Your personal income and benefit tax return has been filed, now what?

It is time to 'Pull your own credit profile'

Why, a number of reasons;

1. Has some else helped themselves to your credit? (Identity theft)
2. What do they think of me? (Your credit score, would I qualify for that new car I am thinking about purchasing in a couple of months?)
3. Is the information on file correct? (Nothing like the address of record being somewhere you have lived in for 5 years, or maybe you left that employer sometime ago or better yet, someone else's info!)

Okay, yes, I want to check my credit. How do I do?

Well, in Canada we have two major firms, Equifax and Transunion who both offer online access to your 'credit reports/scores'. (If you don't want to pay their fees, well there is a 'free' way, by using a mail request.)

[Quick aside, this sort of 'soft inquiry' does not have the consequences as when a potential lender or creditor 'pulls your credit profile' for the purposes of extending credit. These 'hard' inquiries shows on your credit report for a minimum of 6 years and may cause a drop in your credit score.]