Will Having a Mortgage Improve My Credit Score?

Until the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act was signed into law in 2003, Americans weren't entitled to a free copy of their credit reports. And 24 years ago, when I began my career in consumer news, you couldn't see your credit score at all, at any price. Consumer access to credit reports and scores is a good thing. After all, if someone's going to make important decisions about your future based on this stuff, we have both the right and obligation to make sure it's accurate, as well as understand how to improve things.