topic Inactivity limit for credit cards in Credit Cards

Inactivity limit for credit cards

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 05:11:23 GMT

What is the inactivity limit for Citi, Chase, and American Express? I don't want to get my no AF cards (a potential result of a downgrade left open to extend AAoA) automatically/unexpectedly cancelled!

Re: Inactivity limit for credit cards

Ghoshida — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 05:34:38 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
What is the inactivity limit for Citi, Chase, and American Express? I don't want to get my no AF cards (a potential result of a downgrade left open to extend AAoA) automatically/unexpectedly cancelled!

You need to check with individual lenders but most likely they're around 3 months or so.

I'd check with each of them to be sure because sometimes it depends on the cards as well.

Re: Inactivity limit for credit cards

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 05:39:13 GMT

hmmmm i was ways under the impression it's a year or more. kay jewelers is 2 years and that's certain.

Re: Inactivity limit for credit cards

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 05:51:08 GMT

^ good to know. Guess ill keep up with my annual mothers day gifts at Kays!

Re: Inactivity limit for credit cards

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 06:09:43 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
What is the inactivity limit for Citi, Chase, and American Express? I don't want to get my no AF cards (a potential result of a downgrade left open to extend AAoA) automatically/unexpectedly cancelled!

Before I canceled my Chase Amazon Rewards card, I had let it sit dormant for 18 months with no issue. YMMV, of course.

Re: Inactivity limit for credit cards

takeshi74 — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 13:12:40 GMT

@Ghoshida wrote:
You need to check with individual lenders

This. Call and verify. Your creditors aren't going to accept a myFICO thead as evidence versus their actual policy if there's a discrepancy.

@Anonymous wrote:
hmmmm i was ways under the impression it's a year or more.

It can and does var from creditor to creditor and even product to product as stated above. Don't rely on oversimplified generalizations. That is, unless it doesn't matter if an account gets closed due to inactivity.

Re: Inactivity limit for credit cards

steel_string — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 15:47:57 GMT

They reserve the right to close cards early, but AmEx and Chase cards can go for years without activity. I recently used my slate for the first time in over 2.5 years. Another poster recently had his AmEx closed for 5 years of inactivity.

Re: Inactivity limit for credit cards

SOGGIE — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 16:07:26 GMT

Thanks! This thread is a reminder that I need to use a couple of cards. LOL

Re: Inactivity limit for credit cards

Anonymous — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 20:29:06 GMT

So I think I may charge my no-AF cards once a year or something.

However, I also have an AF card which I won't use, but it still has a perk worth keeping (cat 1-5 hotel, plus one of my oldest cards and no good downgrade options).

My question is: for cards that do have an annual fee, is there any risk of inactivity? Or are the lenders happy collecting the AF? Plus, that sort of counts as a transaction on its own, right?

Re: Inactivity limit for credit cards

BooBee — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 20:35:15 GMT

This very concern is the reason I only have 6 cards. I have reoccuring charges on each card with minor monthly uses (e.g. Hulu, Netflix, E-ZPass, etc.). Since the charges are part of my normal monthly expenses I just pay each card which averages about $30 on each card. I'm getting usage on all cards and will rotate my vacation purchases which tend to be high charges of 2-3K annually.

Re: Inactivity limit for credit cards

Anonymous — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 20:35:41 GMT

What is the general rule for store cards and inactivity? (varies by lender, I know)

I'm thinking of all my store cards in general but I also know that a number of us who jumped on the Barney's train don't want to lose 18k-20k limits on that card for lack of use!

Re: Inactivity limit for credit cards

orestrus — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 21:03:17 GMT