2018 Credit Report Complexity Survey

11:20 AM

Posted by: John S Kiernan

People have all sorts of excuses for not checking their credit reports more often. Some say they just don’t have time. Others are afraid to see what’s on there. But two things are abundantly clear: 1) Credit reports are among the most important documents in our financial lives; and 2) We’d review them far more frequently if they were simpler.

That’s why WalletHub gives you free credit reports, updated daily, plus a timeline highlighting important changes. And to get a sense of just how much this type of simpler option could help people, WalletHub conducted a nationally representative survey on the subject of credit report complexity. You can check out the findings below.

Embed on your website<a href="https://ift.tt/2LXgDgN"> <img src="//d2e70e9yced57e.cloudfront.net/wallethub/posts/52769/2018-credit-report-complexity-survey-v6.png" width="" height="" alt="" /> </a> <div style="width:px;font-size:12px;color:#888;">Source: <a href="https://ift.tt/2OcA2qD>

Full Details Overall

How would you describe credit reports?

Easy to read 60%
Hard to read 40%

Should credit reports be simpler?

No 24%
Yes 76%

How often do you check your credit reports?

Annually 36%
Never 23%
Quarterly 17%
Monthly 17%
Weekly 7%

Which would you prefer?

A full credit report 20%
A full credit report, plus a summary of important changes 80%

Please select all that are included on a credit report:

Credit card 92%
Bankruptcy 69%
Mortgage 68%
Tax lien 55%
Checking account 39%
Income 37%
Retirement account 19%

What is the biggest reason you don’t check your credit reports more frequently?

Don't want to pay for it 35%
Don't have time 27%
Don't care 24%
Afraid to see what's on it 14%

Which would you rather read?

Work emails 39%
College textbook 31%
Credit report 17%
Appliance manual 6%
Phone book 4%
Tax code 3%

How often do you think you should be checking your credit reports for errors and signs of identity theft?

Quarterly 34%
Monthly 31%
Weekly 19%
Annually 16%

Which of the following purposes can a credit report be used for?

Applying for a credit card 91%
Applying for a new apartment 82%
Getting car insurance 57%
Opening a checking account 51%
Applying for a job 47%

Would you rather see every single detail on your credit report, or a summary of important changes?

Every detail 58%
Important changes 42%

Would you check your credit report more often it was presented in a simpler way?

Yes 68%
No 32%
Full Details - By Age

How would you describe credit reports?

18 - 29 30 - 44 45 - 59 59+
Easy to read 54% 69% 58% 60%
Hard to read 46% 31% 42% 40%

Should credit reports be simpler?

18 - 29 30 - 44 45 - 59 59+
No 14% 25% 26% 28%
Yes 86% 75% 74% 72%

How often do you check your credit reports?

18 - 29 30 - 44 45 - 59 59+
Annually 20% 36% 43% 41%
Monthly 24% 19% 10% 17%
Never 25% 21% 23% 22%
Quarterly 20% 14% 21% 15%
Weekly 11% 10% 3% 5%

Which would you prefer?

18 - 29 30 - 44 45 - 59 59+
A full credit report 20% 24% 16% 22%
A full credit report, plus a summary of important changes 80% 76% 84% 78%

Please select all that are included on a credit report:

18 - 29 30 - 44 45 - 59 59+
Credit card 86% 96% 91% 94%
Bankruptcy 54% 74% 74% 70%
Mortgage 62% 67% 70% 71%
Tax lien 44% 58% 59% 57%
Checking account 47% 34% 36% 41%
Income 50% 31% 30% 40%
Retirement account 29% 15% 13% 20%

What is the biggest reason you don’t check your credit reports more frequently?

18 - 29 30 - 44 45 - 59 59+
Afraid to see what's on it 23% 22% 10% 4%
Don't care 22% 16% 15% 41%
Don't have time 29% 23% 34% 22%
Don't want to pay for it 26% 39% 41% 33%

Which would you rather read?

18 - 29 30 - 44 45 - 59 59+
Appliance manual 5% 5% 8% 7%
College textbook 37% 32% 26% 29%
Credit report 11% 24% 15% 19%
Phone book 5% 2% 5% 3%
Tax code 1% 4% 4% 3%
Work emails 41% 33% 42% 39%

How often do you think you should be checking your credit reports for errors and signs of identity theft?

18 - 29 30 - 44 45 - 59 59+
Annually 10% 17% 18% 18%
Monthly 36% 31% 27% 29%
Quarterly 25% 33% 38% 37%
Weekly 29% 19% 17% 16%

Which of the following purposes can a credit report be used for?

18 - 29 30 - 44 45 - 59 59+
Applying for a credit card 86% 91% 92% 93%
Applying for a new apartment 83% 83% 80% 85%
Getting car insurance 62% 56% 54% 57%
Opening a checking account 53% 54% 54% 43%
Applying for a job 32% 46% 54% 52%

Would you rather see every single detail on your credit report, or a summary of important changes?

18 - 29 30 - 44 45 - 59 59+
Every detail 57% 61% 61% 51%
Important changes 43% 39% 39% 49%

Would you rather see every single detail on your credit report, or a summary of important changes?

18 - 29 30 - 44 45 - 59 59+
Yes 76% 67% 70% 58%
No 24% 33% 30% 42%
Full Details - By Gender

How would you describe credit reports?

Female Male
Easy to read 59% 62%
Hard to read 41% 38%

Should credit reports be simpler?

Female Male
No 23% 25%
Yes 77% 75%

How often do you check your credit reports?

Female Male
Annually 37% 35%
Monthly 17% 17%
Never 23% 23%
Quarterly 18% 16%
Weekly 5% 9%

Which would you prefer?

Female Male
A full credit report 20% 21%
A full credit report, plus a summary of important changes 80% 79%

Please select all that are included on a credit report:

Female Male
Credit card 91% 93%
Bankruptcy 68% 69%
Mortgage 67% 69%
Tax lien 55% 55%
Checking account 36% 43%
Income 33% 42%
Retirement account 15% 23%

What is the biggest reason you don’t check your credit reports more frequently?

Female Male
Afraid to see what's on it 19% 10%
Don't care 19% 29%
Don't have time 25% 28%
Don't want to pay for it 37% 33%

Which would you rather read?

Female Male
Appliance manual 5% 8%
College textbook 28% 33%
Credit report 17% 18%
Phone book 4% 4%
Tax code 2% 4%
Work emails 44% 33%

How often do you think you should be checking your credit reports for errors and signs of identity theft?

Female Male
Annually 15% 17%
Monthly 32% 29%
Quarterly 32% 35%
Weekly 21% 19%

Which of the following purposes can a credit report be used for?

Female Male
Applying for a credit card 91% 90%
Applying for a new apartment 87% 78%
Getting car insurance 57% 57%
Opening a checking account 53% 49%
Applying for a job 51% 43%

Would you rather see every single detail on your credit report, or a summary of important changes?

Female Male
Every detail 56% 59%
Important changes 44% 41%

Would you check your credit report more often it was presented in a simpler way?

Female Male
Yes 70% 66%
No 30% 34%
Full Details - By Income

How would you describe credit reports?

High Income Low Income Medium Income
Easy to read 63% 51% 66%
Hard to read 37% 49% 34%

Should credit reports be simpler?

High Income Low Income Medium Income
No 32% 13% 20%
Yes 68% 87% 80%

How often do you check your credit reports?

High Income Low Income Medium Income
Annually 43% 25% 38%
Monthly 17% 16% 19%
Never 18% 37% 19%
Quarterly 18% 10% 19%
Weekly 4% 12% 5%

Which would you prefer?

High Income Low Income Medium Income
A full credit report 19% 23% 17%
A full credit report, plus a summary of important changes 81% 77% 83%

Please select all that are included on a credit report:

High Income Low Income Medium Income
Credit card 97% 85% 93%
Bankruptcy 76% 63% 66%
Mortgage 81% 63% 62%
Tax lien 65% 52% 53%
Checking account 42% 53% 23%
Income 41% 46% 32%
Retirement account 18% 29% 17%

What is the biggest reason you don’t check your credit reports more frequently?

High Income Low Income Medium Income
Afraid to see what's on it 5% 27% 18%
Don't care 33% 18% 17%
Don't have time 29% 24% 34%
Don't want to pay for it 33% 31% 31%

Which would you rather read?

High Income Low Income Medium Income
Appliance manual 4% 6% 4%
College textbook 31% 31% 31%
Credit report 17% 14% 24%
Phone book 3% 7% 3%
Tax code 5% 4% 3%
Work emails 40% 38% 35%

How often do you think you should be checking your credit reports for errors and signs of identity theft?

High Income Low Income Medium Income
Annually 18% 25% 15%
Monthly 32% 24% 28%
Quarterly 40% 19% 30%
Weekly 10% 32% 27%

Which of the following purposes can a credit report be used for?

High Income Low Income Medium Income
Applying for a credit card 97% 76% 95%
Applying for a new apartment 88% 77% 85%
Getting car insurance 63% 57% 50%
Opening a checking account 50% 50% 45%
Applying for a job 51% 40% 43%

Would you rather see every single detail on your credit report, or a summary of important changes?

High Income Low Income Medium Income
Every detail 55% 65% 56%
Important changes 45% 35% 44%

Would you check your credit report more often it was presented in a simpler way?

High Income Low Income Medium Income
Yes 57% 80% 75%
No 43% 20% 25%


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