Freddie Mac's CreditSmart Corriculum is a complementary curriculum to help consumers understand, build and maintain better credit.

What does it take to establish credit? Where do you start? How can you make sure you'll always have good credit?

Good credit and smart money management go hand in hand. This section shows you how to establish a credit presence and maintain a good credit history.

Credit reports and what they contain are explained in detail, as well as how to correct mistakes. You'll also learn about the laws that protect your rights as a consumer.

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ATM: Automated teller machine. ATMs offer consumers convenient access to fund withdrawals, deposits, transfers and balance inquiries. Some banks charge ATM fees, depending on where the funds are drawn. Some ATM transactions involve fees from more than one bank.

Credit bureau: Also known as a credit reporting agency, a company that gathers information on consumers who use credit and sells that information in the form of a credit report to credit lenders.

Credit report: A file maintained by a credit bureau that contains information about a person, such as where the person works and lives, information from creditors regarding money borrowed and payments made, and public record information such as whether the person has filed for bankruptcy.

PIN: Personal identification number used for security purposes on bank cards (also known as debit cards or check cards) and credit cards. The rightful owner is required to select and memorize a four- or five-digit numeric code, which is required to use the card at ATMs or other points of sale.

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