Find Out Where You Stand
The first thing you should do is review your credit report to see what information it contains. The easiest way to get your report from all three credit bureaus is by going to www.annualcreditreport.com. This is the official site that was established to allow people the opportunity to receive a free annual copy of their credit report.
Once you get your credit report, review all the information to make sure that everything is listed properly and that none of your ex’s information or accounts are showing up.
While not necessarily common, it is not unusual to find that your ex may have used your credit card for something unauthorized (like a new car!) or may have opened a new account in both your names to fund purchases you didn’t know about. If you find such a situation, contact your attorney first to see what recourse you may have. Contact the credit company and freeze the card or the account right away.
If you find errors, you should contact the credit bureau to have the error corrected (the information on how to do this will come with your credit report). Once the dispute process is completed, you will receive notification from the credit bureau along with an updated copy of your credit report.
You also want to look for any accounts that should have been closed during your divorce that are still showing as open accounts. In this instance, you should contact the creditors to close it, and ask that they report to the credit bureaus that the account was closed at your request. After requesting the change for your account listing, you should wait at least a month or two before ordering another copy of your report to verify that it has been updated correctly.
If you don’t have a credit history due to everything being in your ex-husband’s name, it’s time to establish one. The easiest way to get started is by applying for a credit card. You should check with your local bank to see if they offer credit cards through their institution. You can also apply for a department store credit card to start establishing your credit. Once you get a credit card, the trick is to use it wisely. Purchasing small items, and paying for them on time (always!) is a great way to establish a good credit record.
