Q: Can I get my credit score(s) without signing up for any other services? If so, what would the charge be?

A: Yes, you can get your credit score or scores without signing up for a credit monitoring service, but unlike credit reports, you cannot get your score for free unless you sign up for a credit monitoring service. If you are going to buy your credit score, we recommend buying FICO scores, since those are the type of credit scores more lenders use. You can buy all three of your FICO scores (one from each bureau) directly from myFICO (the company that creates FICO scores) with FICO Credit Complete. The cost is $47.85. This includes not just all three FICO scores, but also all three credit reports, an explanation of each credit score, and the FICO Simulator, which estimates what your FICO score would be if you took different actions such as paying down credit card debt. If you only want to buy one credit score, you can get FICO Standard instead for $15.95. You can pick the bureau you want the score and report from and get all the other features of FICO Credit Complete, but just for the one bureau. Of course, you can still get all three credit scores for free by signing up for a credit monitoring service. Our top pick, Identity Guard Total Protection, gives you a 30-day free trial where you get all three reports and scores for free, in addition to 3-bureau credit monitoring and a laundry list of other features including free internet security software and public record monitoring. You can cancel during the free trial period and you'll have received the scores for free, or don't cancel and you'll pay $14.95 per month for a combination of credit, internet security and identity theft protection services you'd have to pay much, much for anywhere else.

Like all lenders Sallie Mae reports account history information for all their borrowers to all three of the major credit bureaus including Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. In the most recent data transfer an error caused about 10% of all accounts, or about one million total borrowers, to appear delinquent.

Sallie Mae realized the issue and contacted all three credit bureaus. Equifax had already posted the information the impacted individual's accounts which immediately lowered their credit scores. Experian or TransUnion scores were not impacted.

The issue has been resolved and the Equifax credit scores have been restored for impacted individuals. Those who believe they may have been impacted are encouraged to contact Sallie Mae directly at 1-888-2-sallie. Sallie Mae will also provide credit references to impacted consuers upon request.

"We certainly and fully understand the importance of one's credit rating and we worked with urgency to resolve this situation," Said Sallie Mae spokesman Tom Joyce.

Those consumers that utilize a credit report monitoring service would have received immediate alerts when these changes were posted to their Equifax credit report and score. To learn more about credit report monitoring services we suggest visiting our credit report monitoring service reviews and comparison.