topic Re: Paid down CCs and score DROPPED!!! in Understanding FICO® Scoring

Paid down CCs and score DROPPED!!!

Barneygirl — Wed, 24 Sep 2014 20:39:45 GMT

Okay folks, I am completely baffled!!! I have three open/active CCs.... all three have had less than a 50% utilization on each for the last few months.

I paid all balances down to 10%...... CC#1 raised my score (via ScoreWatch) 3 pts. CC#2 raised my score (via ScoreWatch) 3 pts....... and when CC#3's balance decrease hit, it actually LOWERED my score by 2pts!! What the heck!!!!!

I know the total utilization goal is 9% or less for all cards, and I'm getting there, but was surprised when the same action on all three cards provided different results!!

Re: Paid down CCs and score DROPPED!!!

Revelate — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 05:35:07 GMT

Without a full before and after snapshot of the credit report hard to say; sometimes things get rolled up... that said, I wouldn't worry at all about the 2-3 point swings which happen: that is the route to insanity unfortunately. Play the long game, and ignore the little ups and downs from balance changes and the like.

When you airstrike the remaining balance on some of your cards you'll likely gain more than that depending how many cards you have in your portfolio.

Re: Paid down CCs and score DROPPED!!!

Barneygirl — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 21:07:41 GMT

well, I'm in the middle of mortgage financing, and am trying to RAISE my score, not lower it

DTI is not a problem... I'm just hoping to get a few more points in before the credit score is run one final time.

I literally have almost NO DEBT.... I have an existing mortgage (100% paid on time) and no changes. And I have three credit cards.... about $5000 in credit limit an$500 in charges spread between the three. ($1800 CL/$180 bal; $2000 CL/$200 bal; $1200 CL/$120 bal) All three had much larger balances and were paid down to 10% across the board. So outside of lowering my overall debt, nothing changed!!!!

Why would reducing my debt to 10% on two cards reflect differently than the third? Literally....when the balance on the first one dropped to 10%, my score increased. When the balance on the second card dropped to 10% my score increased. When the balance on the third card dropped to 10% my score DROPPED!!!! What could make the reduction in overall debt on the third card have a totally different affect on my CR?

Re: Paid down CCs and score DROPPED!!!

Revelate — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 21:14:47 GMT

@Barneygirl wrote:
well, I'm in the middle of mortgage financing, and am trying to RAISE my score, not lower it

DTI is not a problem... I'm just hoping to get a few more points in before the credit score is run one final time.

I literally have almost NO DEBT.... I have an existing mortgage (100% paid on time) and no changes. And I have three credit cards.... about $5000 in credit limit an$500 in charges spread between the three. ($1800 CL/$180 bal; $2000 CL/$200 bal; $1200 CL/$120 bal) All three had much larger balances and were paid down to 10% across the board. So outside of lowering my overall debt, nothing changed!!!!

Why would reducing my debt to 10% on two cards reflect differently than the third? Literally....when the balance on the first one dropped to 10%, my score increased. When the balance on the second card dropped to 10% my score increased. When the balance on the third card dropped to 10% my score DROPPED!!!! What could make the reduction in overall debt on the third card have a totally different affect on my CR?

Can't say honestly, might have been something else going on with the report which Scorewatch (or whatever monitoring you're using, which is it btw?) didn't pick up. It's really hard to say without looking at a full report with a critical eye as unfortunately even small things can make a difference.

I will say this though: if you're trying to eek out a couple more points, zero out two of those cards as that's a couple points on FICO '04 and '98 which is what the vast majority of mortgages are underwritten on.

Re: Paid down CCs and score DROPPED!!!

Barneygirl — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 22:05:18 GMT

I subscribe to scorewatch... and it was score watch that informed me that the balance decrease on the third card decreased my credit score by 2 points! lol

I was thinking the same thing.... zero-ing out the two cards, and leaving the third with a small balance. Thanks for confirming that would be a smart move!

I've been credit-obsessed for the last year.... trying to get all of this in order for this mortgage.... and know I'm okay, but a couple points up would put me from decent interest rate to a great one so anything I can do to help move that along I'm trying at this point!

Re: Paid down CCs and score DROPPED!!!

taxi818 — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 21:55:54 GMT

@Barneygirl wrote:
well, I'm in the middle of mortgage financing, and am trying to RAISE my score, not lower it

DTI is not a problem... I'm just hoping to get a few more points in before the credit score is run one final time.

I literally have almost NO DEBT.... I have an existing mortgage (100% paid on time) and no changes. And I have three credit cards.... about $5000 in credit limit an$500 in charges spread between the three. ($1800 CL/$180 bal; $2000 CL/$200 bal; $1200 CL/$120 bal) All three had much larger balances and were paid down to 10% across the board. So outside of lowering my overall debt, nothing changed!!!!

Why would reducing my debt to 10% on two cards reflect differently than the third? Literally....when the balance on the first one dropped to 10%, my score increased. When the balance on the second card dropped to 10% my score increased. When the balance on the third card dropped to 10% my score DROPPED!!!! What could make the reduction in overall debt on the third card have a totally different affect on my CR?

You ask why?? well its not just the 10 percent thing you are doing. you have3 cards as you stated. you could have easily lost points because all 3 of your cards have a balance.

When most say under 10 percent.

that means 1 card only under 10 percent so the other 2 can report a 0 balance.

As equifax really likes to see many cards with 0 balance for best results.

me personally. i get best results.. at 1-3 percent on 1 card only. other 12 cards must have zero balance.

Like the mod said. i would not sweat the 3 points.

but if you really need the points like you said.

pay two of those cards to 0 . leave 1 at under 10 percent. and watch your entire score on all 3 cras climb.

Good luck.

Re: Paid down CCs and score DROPPED!!!

Barneygirl — Sat, 27 Sep 2014 03:06:34 GMT

Thanks for the advice!!! Just paid off two of the three..... and the third will get paid down to 10% tomorrow

Hoping this brings a few points!! At this point, anything I can get will give me a little cushion

Re: Paid down CCs and score DROPPED!!!

CreditDunce — Sat, 27 Sep 2014 03:51:31 GMT

@Barneygirl wrote:
Thanks for the advice!!! Just paid off two of the three..... and the third will get paid down to 10% tomorrow

Hoping this brings a few points!! At this point, anything I can get will give me a little cushion

There is no question in my mind you will get a nice boost with only 1 of the CC's reporting a balance. If possible try for 9% or lower on the one card. But it shouldn't make much of a difference.

Congratulations on hitting your target score. Good luck on your final rescoring. I know you will get the mortgage.

Re: Paid down CCs and score DROPPED!!!

Barneygirl — Sat, 27 Sep 2014 19:38:59 GMT

will try as you suggest thanks for the advice!

Re: Paid down CCs and score DROPPED!!!

Barneygirl — Sat, 27 Sep 2014 19:43:56 GMT

Re: Paid down CCs and score DROPPED!!!

Anomalous — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 14:16:43 GMT

@Barneygirl wrote:
Okay folks, I am completely baffled!!! I have three open/active CCs.... all three have had less than a 50% utilization on each for the last few months.

I paid all balances down to 10%...... CC#1 raised my score (via ScoreWatch) 3 pts. CC#2 raised my score (via ScoreWatch) 3 pts....... and when CC#3's balance decrease hit, it actually LOWERED my score by 2pts!! What the heck!!!!!

I know the total utilization goal is 9% or less for all cards, and I'm getting there, but was surprised when the same action on all three cards provided different results!!

Had a similar thing happened to me today. Paid down one CC last month before statement cut from 80% utilization to 7% and my EX score dropped 6 points on myFICO. Crazy game