Yes those liens will continue to kill your score and your odds of approval on a new account. I got mine cleared off in august and a month later, and went on an app spree shortly after the liens were removed from my credit reports. Now, with the lack of liens and my improved utilization (down from about 55% to about 3%), my scores have jumped about 100 points across the three bureaus.
I've been there so I know that it sucks but sometimes it pays to be patient 
Good advice I thank you all very much!!
My reason for app spree- I would like to get away from the FP and CrOne cards I have and replace them with more reputable banks. My work allows me to charge my travel expenses and then get reimbursements (I travel a lot, aprox $5000 monthly +/- $1500). This works out well for cards that offer points or cash back. Reimbursements from my office come once a month, although I try to PIF, I am often showing a high usage. Also, the balance on my CITI is from non work related charges that I am slowly getting paid down. AMEX has been my best friend but no great rewards on that card. I am thinking a few additional cards would help, the right cards.
And yes!! Love the thread on GW campaign!! Great advice, I should have been more clear in that I am on my third round of letters. Although it is my third letter, I am sending it to multiple addresses as advised.
Thanks for all the help!! 
Best of luck on your journey OP!
If you wait til your reports are clean, especially with the liens gone, you eill be in a great position to score the cards you want. If you app now and dont get approved, you will just have more inqs that could have been saved for better chance approvals at later date. Hope that made sense
. I hope your scores skyrocket like ive seen for some here on forum when their rax liens fall off. Best of luck again
If you wait til your reports are clean, especially with the liens gone, you eill be in a great position to score the cards you want. If you app now and dont get approved, you will just have more inqs that could have been saved for better chance approvals at later date. Hope that made sense
. I hope your scores skyrocket like ive seen for some here on forum when their rax liens fall off. Best of luck again
@Anonymous wrote:Good advice I thank you all very much!!
My reason for app spree- I would like to get away from the FP and CrOne cards I have and replace them with more reputable banks. My work allows me to charge my travel expenses and then get reimbursements (I travel a lot, aprox $5000 monthly +/- $1500). This works out well for cards that offer points or cash back. Reimbursements from my office come once a month, although I try to PIF, I am often showing a high usage. Also, the balance on my CITI is from non work related charges that I am slowly getting paid down. AMEX has been my best friend but no great rewards on that card. I am thinking a few additional cards would help, the right cards.
And yes!! Love the thread on GW campaign!! Great advice, I should have been more clear in that I am on my third round of letters. Although it is my third letter, I am sending it to multiple addresses as advised.
Thanks for all the help!!
Simple solution to this would be upgrade to PRG / Platinum then and reap the rewards. Shouldn't be an issue upgrading a charge to charge as Amex will gladly take the $450/yr AF.
Other than this I wouldn't toture yourself with apping and getting disappointing limits from your app spree that won't help with the 5-7K/mo in travel expenses if you're maxing them out and having to pay out of pocket to keep your utilization down for scoring purposes. Then again Charge cards only report "high balance" and shouldn't really factor into utilization.
Keep pushing the IRS with the liens and once they're gone you should be able to pick up a couple of decent cards with decent limits that will actually work with you and give you the space you need monthly for travel with rewards. Otherwise I picture a couple of $1-2K cards with crap rewards.
@Anonymous wrote:Yes those liens will continue to kill your score and your odds of approval on a new account. I got mine cleared off in august and a month later, and went on an app spree shortly after the liens were removed from my credit reports. Now, with the lack of liens and my improved utilization (down from about 55% to about 3%), my scores have jumped about 100 points across the three bureaus.
I've been there so I know that it sucks but sometimes it pays to be patient
Excellent advice!