Connect with a Brooklyn Public Librarian via chat, email or phone!
Do you have questions about credit or debt? The Financial Coaching Corps (FCC) can help you manage your money, find resources in a financial crisis, and make progress toward your financial goals.
Make an appointment with a coach from the Financial Coaching Corps of the Community Service Society of NY. At this time all coaching is virtual by phone or Google Meet.
Please select an appointment date and a financial coach will confirm your appointment by e-mail.
If you have questions about financial coaching, email us at bplfinancecoach@gmail.com.
Virtual Financial Coaching is a service of Brooklyn Public Library's partner, Community Service Society.
How do I obtain my free Credit Report?
You have the right to obtain a free copy of your credit report from the three agencies, once every twelve months. Here is a step by step video and Q&A for checking a credit report from the Federal Trade Commission.
Request your free credit report:
Online: Visit AnnualCreditReport.com
By Phone: Call 1-877-322-8228. Deaf and hard of hearing consumers can access the TTY service by calling 711 and referring the Relay Operator to 1-800-821-7232.
By Mail: Complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it to:
Annual Credit Report Request Service
PO Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281
Understanding my Credit Report
FINRA (the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) and the American Library Association have produced a nine-part series of videos to help consumers understand credit reporting.
How to Correct Errors in my Credit Report
Potential lenders generally use only one of the three credit agencies to obtain your credit score, and it's impossible to know which one, so it is a good idea to obtain a copy of your credit report every year to make sure the report is accurate, and to look for any signs of identity theft (such as a line of credit opened in your name that you do not recognize).
If you do spot errors in your report, you can and should contact the credit agency regarding the error and request that any misinformation be removed. The agencies are diligent in making sure every report is as accurate as possible. You generally only need to provide information that was missing or incorrect on your application for a free credit report.
If you are unable to resolve your dispute with the agency, file a complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau online or by phone at 1-855-411-2372.