Boost in score by 8-11 points temporary?

[hatetheordinary]

I have three credit cards and paid down two of the balances to zero while leaving the third remaining with a low utilization rate. This apparently can boost a FICO score and it did initially. My score improved from a 696 to a 707, then my only medical collection fell off my report finally after years of waiting, and my score jumps to a healthy 797. Well nothing has changed as I still have only a low balance on one of the cards reporting and the other two are still zero balances but my score dropped down to 788. I'm not really too concerned because 788 is still very good but I'm curious if the boost one gets from paying down their balances and leaving one to report back with a balance is just temporary. I thought for sure I was getting ready to knock it out of the park with 800 territory. Any insight and information is much appreciated.

[elim]

My scores are pretty dynamic, fluctuating 5 to 10 points up and down as the average slowly climbs. I have (and use) more cards so their may be no comparison. Just keep doing what you're doing and make sure nothing hit your reports (inquiry, account, etc). At least you aren't stressing the small loss.

Congrats on the great scores.   :]

[Anonymous]

It'll last as long as your util stays the same. I've been letting < 1% report on all 3 of my cards and my score has been pretty stable. When one (of my two at the time) reported higher because a charge cleared early I saw a few points drop which came back the next month. Good luck squeeeeeezing out that 800!

[DollyLama]

Did average age of accounts drop between these two reports, indicating an old account aged off your report?

[Anonymous]

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@hatetheordinary wrote:

I'm not really too concerned because 788 is still very good but I'm curious if the boost one gets from paying down their balances and leaving one to report back with a balance is just temporary.

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No, it's not temporary.  Any changes to a FICO score as the result of a utilization change will remain for as long as that utilization stays the same (at the new place).  If you employed AZEO and AZEO is still in place, your scores will not change [with respect to AZEO].  So, if your scores dropped a little, it's not from the positive impact of AZEO going away it was from another factor of the FICO pie.

[Anonymous]

Where did you pull your scores from? Website?