AMEX Spending Power Question / CLI Related?

[dallasareaguy]

Hey Amex experts... (and I know there are many of you out there)

Has anyone ever figured out whether the check spending power on revolvers is any indication of whether you are more likely to be approved for a CLI?

I am considering asking for a 3X CLI when my card hits 61 days and was just curious if hitting the spending power button and seeing if they will approve over the credit limit not would be any indicator of liklihood of an increase or if general consensus are they are two seperate deals.

[Anonymous]

To be honest, I do not think there is really any specific coralation to being able to spend over the limit and them approving a cli, but then again this is just my opinion.

Here are a couple of examples as to why I think that. My last cli with Amex was Feb 7. Just a couple of weeks after receiving the CLI I went to purchase a new car and was thinking about putting $10k down using my Amex card. I had a balance on the card and would have been short so I checked the spending ability on the card. It said that my spending ability was $10k above what my current limit was. That being said I had just received a cli and would not have been approved for another one. In addition, when I first got the card I tried to get a cli upon activation and was declined, but it said I could spend about $5k above my limit at the time.

[Anonymous]

I think there's a correlation. 

My Everyday card started at $500 (and was only approved after a failed reconsideration and then a letter to the CEO begging they give me a shot). It's now up to $2800, but is still one of my lowest limits. I can only get 2x CLIs, not the 3x CLIs everybody on here writes about.

Coincidentally, when I check my spending ability, it lets me spend up to exactly 2x my credit limit, but never a penny more. 

On the 28th of this month I'll be due for another CLI. I'll fill the forum in with the results when I have them, but my guess is I'm going to get one more 2x CLI - which will bring me to $5600, rather than the usual 3x CLI, which would put me at $8400.

[Anonymous]

Tend not to think they are connected.  Just because they will let you go to a certain amount one time does not mean that they will raise your limit permanently to a higher amount.

[dallasareaguy]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

Tend not to think they are connected.  Just because they will let you go to a certain amount one time does not mean that they will raise your limit permanently to a higher amount.

---

I agree with that principle. I was wondering on the reverse... if they won't let you go much if any over your limit if it might be a sign you WONT get a CLI on request. I'm sure it would be difficult to prove that theory without a lot of people checking just before asking for a CLI.

[Imperfectfuture]

---

@dallasareaguy wrote:

Hey Amex experts... (and I know there are many of you out there)

Has anyone ever figured out whether the check spending power on revolvers is any indication of whether you are more likely to be approved for a CLI?

I am considering asking for a 3X CLI when my card hits 61 days and was just curious if hitting the spending power button and seeing if they will approve over the credit limit not would be any indicator of liklihood of an increase or if general consensus are they are two seperate deals.

---

Before, I would say yes.  However, it would not allow 10k on BCP, but only 10k on simplycash.  Yet, I received the 10k I asked for come cli time on BCP.  I DO not ask for 3x.  I used to have 5k cards as goals, I now plan to have a few cards (pruning still ongoing) with 10k+ limits (can carry balance without affecting util).  Do not want to face wrath of examination, since my income now fluctuates.

[Anonymous]

---

@dallasareaguy wrote:

---

@Anonymous wrote:

Tend not to think they are connected.  Just because they will let you go to a certain amount one time does not mean that they will raise your limit permanently to a higher amount.

---

I agree with that principle. I was wondering on the reverse... if they won't let you go much if any over your limit if it might be a sign you WONT get a CLI on request. I'm sure it would be difficult to prove that theory without a lot of people checking just before asking for a CLI.

---

Does it matter that much though? Doesn't AmEx pretty much exclusively soft pull? If so, no harm in just giving it a try and finding out for sure, right? :-)

[Anonymous]

Slightly off topic question here.  I received a replacement BCE card today and upon activating it on the Amex site it asked me to enter in my income AND assets?  I don't recall seeing the "assets" line when I applied for the card, just income.  I just hit "skip" and went past that page, but can go back and fill in this info.  Income is pretty straight forward, but what exactly constitutes total assets?  That to me is quite a bit more difficult to quantify.  And why is it asked when activating a card but not when applying for it?  Seemed odd to me.

[Anonymous]

That information is probably missing from your profile, if you leave it blank you will more than likely never be evaluated for automatic credit limit increases, assest might elude to your personal net worth figure ... jus my opinion

[9CLINE]

Seems like I remember that asset info showing up when I made my profile out way back...It does ask when doing a CLI request and is also on my profile... IIRC they had a prompt on site to update about every yr.