https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Understanding-FICO-Scoring/Understanding-balance-increase/m-p/1396414#M63187 <P>You can control the <FONT color="#ff0000"><EM>reported balance</EM></FONT> by making a payment before the statement drop date.&nbsp; FICO only cares about the reported balance and doesn't care if it is PIF by the due date or not, as long as it is not late of course.</P> Fri, 11 May 2012 23:57:45 GMT marty56 2012-05-11T23:57:45Z https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Understanding-FICO-Scoring/Understanding-balance-increase/m-p/1395740#M63173 <P>I'm confused how my FICO score goes down because my credit card balance increases? I pay off the balance within 30 days, yet I've been hit twice with lower scores because of a "balance increase". In one case, I used a card that had a $0 balance for a few months and used it for a $331 charge. Then my score dropped almost 20 points. I haven't even&nbsp;received a statement yet from the credit card company.&nbsp;Like most, I use my credit cards for travel and some months I have a&nbsp;higher balance but have paid on time. Please help me understand when I should pay my credit cards so I do not get penalized by in this case Equifax. Can I dispute this with them?</P> Fri, 11 May 2012 16:50:02 GMT https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Understanding-FICO-Scoring/Understanding-balance-increase/m-p/1395740#M63173 Anonymous 2012-05-11T16:50:02Z https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Understanding-FICO-Scoring/Understanding-balance-increase/m-p/1396414#M63187 <P>You can control the <FONT color="#ff0000"><EM>reported balance</EM></FONT> by making a payment before the statement drop date.&nbsp; FICO only cares about the reported balance and doesn't care if it is PIF by the due date or not, as long as it is not late of course.</P> Fri, 11 May 2012 23:57:45 GMT https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Understanding-FICO-Scoring/Understanding-balance-increase/m-p/1396414#M63187 marty56 2012-05-11T23:57:45Z