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You should demand to get your FICA notch as soon as possible. Because this key credit number can determine how much you pay on your house, what your insurance rates are, and even whether you get a job, it is vital to know what it is. But, even though you can get free credit reports, in order to access your FICA notch, you have to pay a fee.

That?s just incorrect.

When Congress authorized the bill to require that the credit bureaus give one free credit crash per year, they overlooked a very vital number ? the FICA notch.

The individual credit reporting agencies ? Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union, all use the raw data from the Honest Isaac company to determine a notch. But, Honest Isaac puts out the authoritative FICA notch, which is what many businesses use to evaluate your credit worthiness. For instance:

? Lenders determine whether you get credit and how much you will pay in interest.
? Landlords determine whether you qualify to live in their homes or apartments.
? Utility companies use the FICA notch to choose whether you have to pay a deposit for basic services like water and electricity.
? Cell phone companies may not give you a phone or benefit if your notch is too low.
? Auto and home insurance companies use the notch to determine insurance rates.

Most people don?t realize that they can?t access their credit reports for free. In fact, the Consumer Federation of American found that 75 percent of Americans plotting they could get the number if they wanted to. That is part of the conundrum. Because they can get their credit crash, they reckon they can also get their credit notch.

Some companies charge a high fee ? up to $50 a year ? and then offer to ?waive? it if you sign up for expensive monitoring services or other products you don?t need.

And, even when you buy your number, you can?t be poised that it is accurate. In many cases there is a difference of 30 to 100 points between the real notch and the FICA notch the consumer buys.

If you want to buy your notch, the only place to be poised you?re being paid the real thing is at MyFico.

You should also know that your real credit notch is always in flux. If you place an extra $200 on your credit card, your notch could budge 3 points. If you close a department store account, your credit notch could go. And, if you pay off a credit card but don?t close it, your credit notch will also be adjusted.

But you?ll never know exactly how things are moving. In fact, the only business required to show you your FICA notch is your mortgage company. And, they don?t even have to show you the notch that they used to determine the mortgage, they can show you a different one which ?proves? you need to pay a higher interest rate.

The credit bureaus? product is the consumer?s personal data. Consumers have a right to this information. Congress needs to act to extend the right to get a free credit crash each year to include the right to access your FICA notch.

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