Credit reports and credit scores are different. Credit scores are determined by your bills and how you pay them. Your credit score appears in your credit report.

Credit reports

Credit bureaus use the information in your credit report to determine a credit score. This information includes payment history on accounts, information from public records, and account summaries.

Tax liens and judgments will usually not appear on your credit report. They will only appear on the report if they include your Social Security Number or birth date. Most judgments don't have this information.

Credit scores

Credit scores predict how likely you are to repay a debt. The credit score gives a number, an explanation of what the number means, and the top reasons your score was not higher. This could be as many as 4 or 5 reasons.

Learn more about your credit report and ways to improve your score in the Federal Trade Commission’s guide to building a better credit report.