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Greater "High Balance" (see in TransUnion credit reports) = Higher FICO score?

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SportBike4Life
Regular Contributor

Greater "High Balance" (see in TransUnion credit reports) = Higher FICO score?

Does having a greater lifetime "high balance" increase your FICO score? Again, I am talking about the largest balance you ever had on the card, whose transactions happened much earlier than the time where you would obtain this FICO score.

 

Personally, I would assume that having a greater "high balance" on your credit cards would help your credit score in the long run, as opposed to have many cards with $500 / $10,000 as your "highest balance." To me, having a $500, / $10,000 "highest balance" on most credit cards would make it seem like you just like applying for credit but that you don't actually use much of the credit you apply for, ultimately discouraging creditors from lending you futher credit when you do actually need it.

 

Anyone know the answer to how much this number affects your overall FICO credit score and/or how lenders view you?

Jun 2012 FICO® ~ 734 EQ
Sep 2012 FICO® ~ 684 EQ; 734 TU
Oct 2012 FICO® ~ TBA

Goal for 2014 ~760+

Trying to stay in the garden...but also trying to get as many apps as possible for now Smiley Wink
Message 1 of 7
6 REPLIES 6
SportBike4Life
Regular Contributor

Re: Greater "High Balance" (see in TransUnion credit reports) = Higher FICO score?

Here's a snapshot of the information for one of my credit cards on a past TransUnion credit report showing the "High(est) Balance" number for your reference:

 

 

 

Note that the "High Balance" is not the same as "[Current] Balance" in the snapshot above.

Jun 2012 FICO® ~ 734 EQ
Sep 2012 FICO® ~ 684 EQ; 734 TU
Oct 2012 FICO® ~ TBA

Goal for 2014 ~760+

Trying to stay in the garden...but also trying to get as many apps as possible for now Smiley Wink
Message 2 of 7
GregB
Valued Contributor

Re: Greater "High Balance" (see in TransUnion credit reports) = Higher FICO score?

It will have NO effect on your FICO score. That is one item that may be reviewed by anyone manually reviewing your report.

 

Some lenders report amount of minimum payment, actual payment amount, payment date. Some reports show this information, particularly Experian.

Message 3 of 7
chasmith
Valued Contributor

Re: Greater "High Balance" (see in TransUnion credit reports) = Higher FICO score?

The "High Balance" comes into play when a lender doesn't report a limit.  The scoring system may substitute your high balance when there's no limit reported on a CC.

BK7 Filed 8/11/2009 Discharged 11/23/2009. Purchased new home 4/11/2012
Starting Score:11/16/2009 EQ 566 11/16/2009 TU 538
Interim Score: 12/27/2012 EQ 683 09/17/2012 EX (lender) 670 1/01/2013 TU 701
Current Score: 11/06/2013 EQ 708 11/06/2013 EX 702 11/16/2013 702 11/06/2013 TU 729
Goal Score: EQ 740 EX 740 TU 740
Take the FICO Fitness Challenge
Message 4 of 7
GregB
Valued Contributor

Re: Greater "High Balance" (see in TransUnion credit reports) = Higher FICO score?

Very good point chasmith.

 

I looked at the account to see if there was a limit reported but it would have been better if my first sentence said "It will have NO effect on your FICO score unless that account does not have a limit reported".

 

Time to go get more coffee...........Smiley Wink

Message 5 of 7
HiLine
Blogger

Re: Greater "High Balance" (see in TransUnion credit reports) = Higher FICO score?


@chasmith wrote:

The "High Balance" comes into play when a lender doesn't report a limit.  The scoring system may substitute your high balance when there's no limit reported on a CC.


The only case I know of is Visa Signature cards that don't get the limit reported.

Message 6 of 7
chasmith
Valued Contributor

Re: Greater "High Balance" (see in TransUnion credit reports) = Higher FICO score?

This was a bigger issue some years ago.  As I recall Citi tried to stop reporting all limits on all cards.  Not as big an issue now, I think just VISA Signature as stated.

BK7 Filed 8/11/2009 Discharged 11/23/2009. Purchased new home 4/11/2012
Starting Score:11/16/2009 EQ 566 11/16/2009 TU 538
Interim Score: 12/27/2012 EQ 683 09/17/2012 EX (lender) 670 1/01/2013 TU 701
Current Score: 11/06/2013 EQ 708 11/06/2013 EX 702 11/16/2013 702 11/06/2013 TU 729
Goal Score: EQ 740 EX 740 TU 740
Take the FICO Fitness Challenge
Message 7 of 7
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