Getting a BofA CLI after a CLD 18 months ago

[Sevenfeet]

I have a BofA Cash Rewards that had been CLI'd over time up to $20k.  When times were tighter, I had a balance on it of $13k but had higher utils on some of my other cards.  BofA noticed and CLD'd me down to $12,900 even though I'd never missed a payment with anyone in 20 years.

Now times are different.  We have paid down all but a few of all my cards and brought overall card util from 68% down to 38% and with recent expected payments my wife and I are going to make in a few weeks, I expect to get that ratio down to 32% overall (two cards will still have high...90% util).   The BofA Cash Rewards was paid off entirely back in March.

So now I have the "Request a CLI" button again and I'd like to get back the CLD at least.  If I press it now, it talks about giving them authorization for a credit report so I'm assuming that this is HP language?  Current Fico 8 is at 743 EQ, 739 EX, 752 TU.

Any advice here on how to proceed?

[K-in-Boston]

Bank of America changed CLI requests to be almost universally soft pulls now, even though the language has not changed on the website.  In 99+% of cases, there is no hard pull anymore.  I'd go for it!  Would certainly help out the utilization sooner.  With Bank of America, shoot for the moon on your CLI request; they'll always counter-offer if appropriate.

[Sevenfeet]

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@K-in-Boston wrote:

Bank of America changed CLI requests to be almost universally soft pulls now, even though the language has not changed on the website.  In 99+% of cases, there is no hard pull anymore.  I'd go for it!  Would certainly help out the utilization sooner.  With Bank of America, shoot for the moon on your CLI request; they'll always counter-offer if appropriate.

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Thanks for the advice.  I was hoping this would be the CLI summer with our family's ability to pay down a good chunk of our revolving debt this year with the remaining gone in 2-3 more years (worst case).  I want to apply for this one (BofA), a CLI for my Amex BCP (currently sitting at $20K) and my Fidelity Visa (also sitting at $20k).  USBank Cash + was auto CLI'd by them from $9k to $12k over a year ago...may be time to ask again although I don't see anywhere on their website to ask.  Maybe it only shows up when they are ready, like BofA.

[Sevenfeet]

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@K-in-Boston wrote:

Bank of America changed CLI requests to be almost universally soft pulls now, even though the language has not changed on the website.  In 99+% of cases, there is no hard pull anymore.  I'd go for it!  Would certainly help out the utilization sooner.  With Bank of America, shoot for the moon on your CLI request; they'll always counter-offer if appropriate.

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Well, I got insta-denied after having success today on three other cards for CLIs and APR reductions.  I may have asked for too much ($12,900 to $25,000) but I'm also wondering if my wife's (she's a joint holder on this) credit report has anything to do with it since her's is very locked down after a bad identity theft attempt a few years ago.  Still, no HPs on my report that I can see (I think BofA is using TU).

[Anonymous]

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@Sevenfeet wrote:

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@K-in-Boston wrote:

Bank of America changed CLI requests to be almost universally soft pulls now, even though the language has not changed on the website.  In 99+% of cases, there is no hard pull anymore.  I'd go for it!  Would certainly help out the utilization sooner.  With Bank of America, shoot for the moon on your CLI request; they'll always counter-offer if appropriate.

---

Well, I got insta-denied after having success today on three other cards for CLIs and APR reductions.  I may have asked for too much ($12,900 to $25,000) but I'm also wondering if my wife's (she's a joint holder on this) credit report has anything to do with it since her's is very locked down after a bad identity theft attempt a few years ago.  Still, no HPs on my report that I can see (I think BofA is using TU).

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Sorry you got declined.
Yesterday I was sucessful in getting CLIs on both my 6 month old BOA CASH REWARDS, and my 6 month old BOA PREMIUM REWARDS.
In both cases the CLIs were Soft Pulls.
My CASH REWARDS had a $5500 CL.  I requested a $15,000 CL, and got instant approval for the $15,000 CL
My PREMIUM REWARDS had a $7,500 CL.  I requested a $20,000 CL, but they countered with an instant approval for a $15,000 CL.
I don't think it makes any difference at all how big your request is. I don't think that is a factor in whether they approve or decline. Plus if I recall it says that on the CLI application page. The computer will just spit out either an approval on the amount you asked for, or it will spit out a counter figure, or it will pass you into the "processing/under review" mode for an actual live agent to evaluate, or it will decline you right away.

[Sevenfeet]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Sevenfeet wrote:

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@K-in-Boston wrote:

Bank of America changed CLI requests to be almost universally soft pulls now, even though the language has not changed on the website.  In 99+% of cases, there is no hard pull anymore.  I'd go for it!  Would certainly help out the utilization sooner.  With Bank of America, shoot for the moon on your CLI request; they'll always counter-offer if appropriate.

---

Well, I got insta-denied after having success today on three other cards for CLIs and APR reductions.  I may have asked for too much ($12,900 to $25,000) but I'm also wondering if my wife's (she's a joint holder on this) credit report has anything to do with it since her's is very locked down after a bad identity theft attempt a few years ago.  Still, no HPs on my report that I can see (I think BofA is using TU).

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Sorry you got declined.
Yesterday I was sucessful in getting CLIs on both my 6 month old BOA CASH REWARDS, and my 6 month old BOA PREMIUM REWARDS.
In both cases the CLIs were Soft Pulls.
My CASH REWARDS had a $5500 CL.  I requested a $15,000 CL, and got instant approval for the $15,000 CL
My PREMIUM REWARDS had a $7,500 CL.  I requested a $20,000 CL, but they countered with an instant approval for a $15,000 CL.
I don't think it makes any difference at all how big your request is. I don't think that is a factor in whether they approve or decline. Plus if I recall it says that on the CLI application page. The computer will just spit out either an approval on the amount you asked for, or it will spit out a counter figure, or it will pass you into the "processing/under review" mode for an actual live agent to evaluate, or it will decline you right away.

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Well I got the 7-10 day letter which i consider an insta-decline.  Who knows, stranger things have happened.  But I'm not getting my hopes up.  But I am still wondering if my wife's frozen credit status has anything to do with it.  The other cards I worked on today either had just my name on it, or my wife was an AU.  The BofA in our wallet is unique being a "joint" status.  I'll find out soon enough.

[Anonymous]

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@Sevenfeet wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Sevenfeet wrote:

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@K-in-Boston wrote:

Bank of America changed CLI requests to be almost universally soft pulls now, even though the language has not changed on the website.  In 99+% of cases, there is no hard pull anymore.  I'd go for it!  Would certainly help out the utilization sooner.  With Bank of America, shoot for the moon on your CLI request; they'll always counter-offer if appropriate.

---

Well, I got insta-denied after having success today on three other cards for CLIs and APR reductions.  I may have asked for too much ($12,900 to $25,000) but I'm also wondering if my wife's (she's a joint holder on this) credit report has anything to do with it since her's is very locked down after a bad identity theft attempt a few years ago.  Still, no HPs on my report that I can see (I think BofA is using TU).

---

Sorry you got declined.
Yesterday I was sucessful in getting CLIs on both my 6 month old BOA CASH REWARDS, and my 6 month old BOA PREMIUM REWARDS.
In both cases the CLIs were Soft Pulls.
My CASH REWARDS had a $5500 CL.  I requested a $15,000 CL, and got instant approval for the $15,000 CL
My PREMIUM REWARDS had a $7,500 CL.  I requested a $20,000 CL, but they countered with an instant approval for a $15,000 CL.
I don't think it makes any difference at all how big your request is. I don't think that is a factor in whether they approve or decline. Plus if I recall it says that on the CLI application page. The computer will just spit out either an approval on the amount you asked for, or it will spit out a counter figure, or it will pass you into the "processing/under review" mode for an actual live agent to evaluate, or it will decline you right away.

---

Well I got the 7-10 day letter which i consider an insta-decline.  Who knows, stranger things have happened.  But I'm not getting my hopes up.  But I am still wondering if my wife's frozen credit status has anything to do with it.  The other cards I worked on today either had just my name on it, or my wife was an AU.  The BofA in our wallet is unique being a "joint" status.  I'll find out soon enough.

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I totally understand how you feel. I have gotten those 7-10 letters/notices before on various applications over the years. That said however, sometimes I've still gotten approved even after getting those. It's not an instant death sentence, so as you said, you never know...    And yes, I suppose your wife's issues could indeed affect your application. I guess all lenders rate/give weight to those spouse things differently though. Maybe some are bothered by it more than others. As you said though, you will find out soon enough about things...  I wish you the best with that.

[Sevenfeet]

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I totally understand how you feel. I have gotten those 7-10 letters/notices before on various applications over the years. That said however, sometimes I've still gotten approved even after getting those. It's not an instant death sentence, so as you said, you never know...    And yes, I suppose your wife's issues could indeed affect your application. I guess all lenders rate/give weight to those spouse things differently though. Maybe some are bothered by it more than others. As you said though, you will find out soon enough about things...  I wish you the best with that.

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I think it may well be my wife's freeze issue.  I was reading a thread on Paypal CLIs and one of the moderators commented that TU can't do a SP through an account freeze.  Since I know for certain that the credit agengy in question is TU (BofA actually transferred me to them when I called them about it), I'm thinking I just have to have her account unfrozen the next time i try it.  I'll wait for the letter, just to be sure.  And we had to have her account unfrozen a month ago briefly since we had to buy a clothes dryer from Home Depot (I'm still conserving inquiries for an Apple Card this summer).  It was a pain in the rear to wait in the store to get all that done, but the trouble on our end certainly beats the lasting pain of the alternative.

[CreditInspired]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Sevenfeet wrote:

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@K-in-Boston wrote:

Bank of America changed CLI requests to be almost universally soft pulls now, even though the language has not changed on the website.  In 99+% of cases, there is no hard pull anymore.  I'd go for it!  Would certainly help out the utilization sooner.  With Bank of America, shoot for the moon on your CLI request; they'll always counter-offer if appropriate.

---

Well, I got insta-denied after having success today on three other cards for CLIs and APR reductions.  I may have asked for too much ($12,900 to $25,000) but I'm also wondering if my wife's (she's a joint holder on this) credit report has anything to do with it since her's is very locked down after a bad identity theft attempt a few years ago.  Still, no HPs on my report that I can see (I think BofA is using TU).

---

I don't think it makes any difference at all how big your request is. I don't think that is a factor in whether they approve or decline. Plus if I recall it says that on the CLI application page. The computer will just spit out either an approval on the amount you asked for, or it will spit out a counter figure, or it will pass you into the "processing/under review" mode for an actual live agent to evaluate, or it will decline you right away.

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+1

[Sevenfeet]

An epiloque to this...

I finally got the 7-10 day denial letter and the reason surprised me.  The denial reason was my earlier CLD that brought me from $20k to $12.9k.  I had thought that the CLD was a while ago but a while ago apparently wasn't long enough.  Going through my past statements, it happened between July 21st and August 20th of 2018....which means a year had not past (it wasn't 18 months ago like I put in the title of the thread....my lousy memory is to blame).

Maybe if I had waited until Labor Day, I might have had better luck.  I don't know what criteria that BofA has in these situations but I'd have to think that it's at least a year before you can try a CLI again.  What's weird is that if this in indeed the case, why give me an option for the CLI button at all?  It shouldn't even show up.  It even shows up now!

Well, I'll revisit it later in the year and see what happens.