topic Re: Balances and CLIs in Credit Cards

Balances and CLIs

Srivera718 — Sun, 31 Mar 2024 22:22:54 GMT

Don't really see a thread on the topic so figured I'd throw out a question.

How important of a role do balances play in CLIs?

Example: having a card for a year with 50% reporting vs a card at 6 months with no balance, which one has better odds for a CLI?

And any variation of this: 2 years old 60% util vs 1 year 20% and so forth.

Do you think this trumps any other DP? AAoA, Inquiries etc?

Again just a thought that i feel could be a useful thread.

Fyi none of these numbers reflect me personally just examples.

Re: Balances and CLIs

Gunnerboy — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 01:58:50 GMT

@Srivera718 wrote:
Don't really see a thread on the topic so figured I'd throw out a question.

How important of a role do balances play in CLIs?
Example: having a card for a year with 50% reporting vs a card at 6 months with no balance, which one has better odds for a CLI?
And any variation of this: 2 years old 60% util vs 1 year 20% and so forth.
Do you think this trumps any other DP? AAoA, Inquiries etc?
Again just a thought that i feel could be a useful thread.

Fyi none of these numbers reflect me personally just examples.

Just my opinion, better odds for a CLI for "6 months with no balance", as long as they were paying off the balances in full, and on time each month (a transactor).

Re: Balances and CLIs

Horseshoez — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 02:03:59 GMT

@Srivera718 wrote:
Don't really see a thread on the topic so figured I'd throw out a question.

How important of a role do balances play in CLIs?
Example: having a card for a year with 50% reporting vs a card at 6 months with no balance, which one has better odds for a CLI?
And any variation of this: 2 years old 60% util vs 1 year 20% and so forth.
Do you think this trumps any other DP? AAoA, Inquiries etc?
Again just a thought that i feel could be a useful thread.

Fyi none of these numbers reflect me personally just examples.

There really is no way to accurately answer your question with the information provided; different lenders use different criteria for determining if/when/how much when it comes to a CLI. If you tell us the cards your talking about, specifically financial institution, age, balance, and limit, we can give you a general idea (but with zero guarantee of accuracy).

Re: Balances and CLIs

CreditPoor — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 17:28:35 GMT

Credit card issuers typically consider several factors when evaluating a credit limit increase request, including:

1. Payment history: Consistent, on-time payments

2. Credit utilization: How much available credit you're currently using. Lower utilization generally indicates lower risk to banks

3. Income: Higher income may support a higer credit limit, as it suuggests that you have the means to repay any additional debt.

4. Length of credit history: Longer credit history often correlates with higher credit limit, as it provides more data for assesing creditworthiness.

5. Credit score: Higher credit score generally increases your chances of getting credit limit increases, however it ranks lower on the list because the ones above have much more effect.

6. Recent inquiries and new accounts: Recent credit inquiries or opening two many accounts in a short period can negatively impact your request as it certainly indicates higher risk to banks.

Each issuer may weigh these factors differently, so it's essential to research and check with the specific bank for their criteria.

Re: Balances and CLIs

Rogue46 — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 17:42:39 GMT

Just to add, Certain lenders such as CapOne and Discover like to see heavy spend before they will increase you.

Re: Balances and CLIs

Kforce — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 19:39:07 GMT

@CreditPoor wrote:
Credit card issuers typically consider several factors when evaluating a credit limit increase request, including:

1. Payment history: Consistent, on-time payments
2. Credit utilization: How much available credit you're currently using. Lower utilization generally indicates lower risk to banks
3. Income: Higher income may support a higer credit limit, as it suuggests that you have the means to repay any additional debt.
4. Length of credit history: Longer credit history often correlates with higher credit limit, as it provides more data for assesing creditworthiness.
5. Credit score: Higher credit score generally increases your chances of getting credit limit increases, however it ranks lower on the list because the ones above have much more effect.
6. Recent inquiries and new accounts: Recent credit inquiries or opening two many accounts in a short period can negatively impact your request as it certainly indicates higher risk to banks.

Each issuer may weigh these factors differently, so it's essential to research and check with the specific bank for their criteria.

^^^^^ This and as @Rogue46 said some issuers like heavy spend,

however some give CL increases with time and good payments regardless of spend.

Also some issuers are just more generous than others.

A list of cards and more info might reveal some hints, but

as @Horseshoez said: More guessing than any accurate numbers.

Maybe a hint at something, but a dart board might be just as accurate.

Re: Balances and CLIs

Srivera718 — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 19:59:40 GMT

@Horseshoez wrote:
@Srivera718 wrote:
Don't really see a thread on the topic so figured I'd throw out a question.

How important of a role do balances play in CLIs?
Example: having a card for a year with 50% reporting vs a card at 6 months with no balance, which one has better odds for a CLI?
And any variation of this: 2 years old 60% util vs 1 year 20% and so forth.
Do you think this trumps any other DP? AAoA, Inquiries etc?
Again just a thought that i feel could be a useful thread.

Fyi none of these numbers reflect me personally just examples.
There really is no way to accurately answer your question with the information provided; different lenders use different criteria for determining if/when/how much when it comes to a CLI. If you tell us the cards your talking about, specifically financial institution, age, balance, and limit, we can give you a general idea (but with zero guarantee of accuracy).

I'm talking about all lenders.

To be clear my question is simply how important of a role does balance play in terms to a CLI.

I'm not asking for myself personally or for any specific lender. Simply how have people faired with CLIs and varying balances. A general DP for people. For example I've never requested a CLI with a zero balance on my card yet am usually successful. I usually ask with about 5-10% util on the card reporting and have been successful with Amex, Citi and Cap1.

I wonder if someone out there has success with 30-50% balance reporting, 80% etc. This is straight up out of curiosity.

Re: Balances and CLIs

Horseshoez — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 20:03:27 GMT

@Srivera718 wrote:
@Horseshoez wrote:
@Srivera718 wrote:
Don't really see a thread on the topic so figured I'd throw out a question.

How important of a role do balances play in CLIs?
Example: having a card for a year with 50% reporting vs a card at 6 months with no balance, which one has better odds for a CLI?
And any variation of this: 2 years old 60% util vs 1 year 20% and so forth.
Do you think this trumps any other DP? AAoA, Inquiries etc?
Again just a thought that i feel could be a useful thread.

Fyi none of these numbers reflect me personally just examples.
There really is no way to accurately answer your question with the information provided; different lenders use different criteria for determining if/when/how much when it comes to a CLI. If you tell us the cards your talking about, specifically financial institution, age, balance, and limit, we can give you a general idea (but with zero guarantee of accuracy).
I'm talking about all lenders.
To be clear my question is simply how important of a role does balance play in terms to a CLI.
I'm not asking for myself personally or for any specific lender. Simply how have people faired with CLIs and varying balances. A general DP for people. For example I've never requested a CLI with a zero balance on my card yet am usually successful. I usually ask with about 5-10% util on the card reporting and have been successful with Amex, Citi and Cap1.
I wonder if someone out there has success with 30-50% balance reporting, 80% etc. This is straight up out of curiosity.

What we're trying to tell you is, it depends upon the lender. The very thing one lender may deem important for a CLI is what another lender may use to trigger a CLD.

Re: Balances and CLIs

Kforce — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 20:43:31 GMT

@Srivera718
I'm talking about all lenders.
To be clear my question is simply how important of a role does balance play in terms to a CLI.
I'm not asking for myself personally or for any specific lender. Simply how have people faired with CLIs and varying balances. A general DP for people. For example I've never requested a CLI with a zero balance on my card yet am usually successful. I usually ask with about 5-10% util on the card reporting and have been successful with Amex, Citi and Cap1.
I wonder if someone out there has success with 30-50% balance reporting, 80% etc. This is straight up out of curiosity.

I have always use each card for rewards, thus no unnecessary spend on any card.

My highest use cards seem to get the slowest/lowest CL increases if any.

My least used, non use, always zero cards get CL increases.

* My take use & reporting numbers mean very,very little)

I pay each card 2 times a month, so random low ~1/4-1/3 months spend reporting.

Good reward card's get spend, poor do not.

Have a couple of very old CU cards with keep alive 10-20 every few months

that had auto CL increases and went to more than 60k.

City DC, Barclay's, USBank with good spend and 5 years from 15k to 20k

It depends on issuer, card, income, score, history, far more than what

balance is reported at statement closing

Statement Balance = Number 18 on things considered for CL increases

(My top secret source)

Because it is so far down I am sure someone has received a CL

increase with 80+ utilization, and many with 50%, and lots with < 5%.

Kind of like picking a reliable car by it's color.

White is most reliable with my real 60+ years of cars.

Should your next car be white?

Re: Balances and CLIs

Horseshoez — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 21:06:55 GMT

@Kforce wrote:
Because it is so far down I am sure someone has received a CL
increase with 80+ utilization, and many with 50%, and lots with < 5%.

This is what I assume to be an extreme edge case...

Two years ago my wife and I were planning on a several week jaunt through northern England and Iceland; I wasn't paying attention to how much I charged on one card for airfare, hotels, and car rentals, and next thing I knew I got an alert telling me I had exceeded my credit limit by about 25%. I immediately scheduled a push payment from my bank to pay the balance to zero, but even before my payment hit, the credit card company doubled my limit without my asking.

Re: Balances and CLIs

SouthJamaica — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 21:38:01 GMT

@Srivera718 wrote:
Don't really see a thread on the topic so figured I'd throw out a question.

How important of a role do balances play in CLIs?
Example: having a card for a year with 50% reporting vs a card at 6 months with no balance, which one has better odds for a CLI?
And any variation of this: 2 years old 60% util vs 1 year 20% and so forth.
Do you think this trumps any other DP? AAoA, Inquiries etc?
Again just a thought that i feel could be a useful thread.

Fyi none of these numbers reflect me personally just examples.

Barclays once published an article and a chart, showing that if your balances were in a certain range, you were more likely to get a CLI and more likely not to get a CLD. They didn't give the actual numbers but it looked like a 10% to 25% range. They don't want your balances to be so low that it looks like you're not a profitable customer. And they don't want your balances to be so high that it looks like you're in trouble.

In practice, I haven't noticed any banks following such a guideline, but maybe they do.