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If I were at 100% util every month, paying only the minimum, then paid it down to 1% util one day, would my FICO score be the same once that low util reported as if I had been at 1% all my life? I know recent high utils would be noticed in underwriting anyway, I'm just creating a hypothetical to ask the question, does FICO care about past util?
Less dramatically, but much more likely for me, if I had a zero balance two of three months, but made sure I had 1% util reported whenever applying for credit, would my score be just as high in those 1% months as it would be if I were doing the continuous plate-spinning routine of consistently very low balances on less than half of my cards, rotating which cards have balances each month?
That FICO ... so cold ...
fused wrote:
Unlike payment history, there is no such thing as historical utilization (or util history) as far as FICO scoring goes. So to answer your question, FICO does not care, love or have any infatuation with past util.
RobertEG wrote:So that begs my next question.... the report posted only seems to show indiv. account balance history back for one year. Does it extend back further?
This info from Hauling is not FICO. FICO util is a snapshot and nothing more.
pdxuser wrote:
Actually, Hauling posted a section of her full report to show that it does indeed show all past balances as well as the different credit limits for different time periods. It also shows the historical high balance, even if that high balance was PIF before you ever got your statement. So even if you're maxed out on a card for just one day, all your creditors get to know about it. Do you think they'd care? I tend to think so, but in my case, it's not a high balance I'm concerned about, it's having a list full of goose-eggs, punctuated only occasionally by a very small number.