NFCU Credit Line Increase Soft or Hard Pull?

ThomasJNewton · ‎04-21-2023

Yesterday I asked Navy Federal to reduce the interest rate on my card and had it lowered from 18% to 14%, what their representative said was their lowest rate. While I have not paid interest in over 6 months, I figured that it would be better to as now than at some point in the future when I was paying interest (not in my plan, but just in case. :-)

I also asked if credit line increase requests were a hard or soft pull, and was told if requested by me it was a hard pull, while if done by them it would be a soft pull. I have read some posts that seem to say doing a request through the App/Web page is a soft pull while a call is a hard pull.

Which is correct? Can I safely request a credit line increase through the app without incurring a hard pull? My current Equifax (via the NFCU app) is 786, while on Experian I am at 793. I have used the card quite a bit, but have not run a balance (as I mentioned before).

Current limit is $25,000 (my starting limit from 8+ years ago), and I would like to ask for a 20% increase (to $30,000). Is that a reasonable request?

Last data point: I tried their pre-qualify tool and was told I pre-qualified for all of their cards.

Thanks in advance for all your help!

Creditwiser · ‎04-21-2023

@ThomasJNewton wrote:
Yesterday I asked Navy Federal to reduce the interest rate on my card and had it lowered from 18% to 14%, what their representative said was their lowest rate. While I have not paid interest in over 6 months, I figured that it would be better to as now than at some point in the future when I was paying interest (not in my plan, but just in case. :-)

I also asked if credit line increase requests were a hard or soft pull, and was told if requested by me it was a hard pull, while if done by them it would be a soft pull. I have read some posts that seem to say doing a request through the App/Web page is a soft pull while a call is a hard pull.

Which is correct? Can I safely request a credit line increase through the app without incurring a hard pull? My current Equifax (via the NFCU app) is 786, while on Experian I am at 793. I have used the card quite a bit, but have not run a balance (as I mentioned before).

Current limit is $25,000 (my starting limit from 8+ years ago), and I would like to ask for a 20% increase (to $30,000). Is that a reasonable request?

Last data point: I tried their pre-qualify tool and was told I pre-qualified for all of their cards.

Thanks in advance for all your help!

CLI's done via online or app are typically SP. Years ago my CRwds Visa SL was 1k. I'm at 25k and each increase was a SP via online and /or app. As i just learned yesterday, if you're interested in another card as well, app for it first, then request the CLI on existing card via app or online.

ThomasJNewton · ‎04-21-2023

@Creditwiser wrote:

CLI's done via online or app are typically SP. Years ago my CRwds Visa SL was 1k. I'm at 25k and each increase was a SP via online and /or app. As i just learned yesterday, if you're interested in another card as well, app for it first, then request the CLI on existing card via app or online.

Thanks! Requested a $5,000 limit increase via the app. Was told it was under review. Now I wait and see.

Creditwiser · ‎04-21-2023

@ThomasJNewton wrote:
@Creditwiser wrote:

CLI's done via online or app are typically SP. Years ago my CRwds Visa SL was 1k. I'm at 25k and each increase was a SP via online and /or app. As i just learned yesterday, if you're interested in another card as well, app for it first, then request the CLI on existing card via app or online.
Thanks! Requested a $5,000 limit increase via the app. Was told it was under review. Now I wait and see.

Normal to be under review at those amounts. They may counter with a lower CLI but of course it can go either way. I find Navy to be a bit slow with their CLI reviews. My guess is Monday / Tues at best. Good luck !

FireMedic1 · ‎04-21-2023

Mine have always been SP's. Takes a day or two. But I'm not into getting 20, 30 40 grand credit lines. No use for them.

ThomasJNewton · ‎04-21-2023

@FireMedic1 wrote:
Mine have always been SP's. Takes a day or two. But I'm not into getting 20, 30 40 grand credit lines. No use for them.

I have no inquiries in the last 2 years, so it is not a hardship either way, but it would be nice to get the increase. I do not really need it, would bring my total utilization down (although I still do not really understand the relationship between balances on cards for which I am an authorized user and balances on my own card). Currently I have no balance on that card (my only card of my own $25,000), no balance on my BF's Apple Card ($8,500 limit), and $4,116 on my friend's Chase Sapphire Preferred (I am an authorized user for rental car primary insurance, $5,100 limit).

Adkins · ‎04-22-2023

@ThomasJNewton wrote:
@Creditwiser wrote:

CLI's done via online or app are typically SP. Years ago my CRwds Visa SL was 1k. I'm at 25k and each increase was a SP via online and /or app. As i just learned yesterday, if you're interested in another card as well, app for it first, then request the CLI on existing card via app or online.
Thanks! Requested a $5,000 limit increase via the app. Was told it was under review. Now I wait and see.

Next time, I recommend requesting $10K or higher. The current CLI maximum seems to be $8K at the moment. If they won't give you the whole $8K CLI, they'll give you the maximum you can have and tell you that you've reached their maximum internal limit. At least that way you won't be leaving any CLI $$$ on the table.

Last HP 08-07-2023

OmarGB9 · ‎04-22-2023

SP when done via app or website. The rep is right in a way because if you ask for a CLI via phone with them, it *does* seem to trigger a HP.

ETA: The prequal tool is useless/unreliable. Don't bother using it to gauge approval odds of anything.

Last App: 1/10/2023
Penfed Gold Visa Card

Currently rebuilding as of 04/11/2019.

Starting FICO 8 Scores:

Current FICO 8 scores:

ThomasJNewton · ‎04-22-2023

@Adkins wrote:
Next time, I recommend requesting $10K or higher. The current CLI maximum seems to be $8K at the moment. If they won't give you the whole $8K CLI, they'll give you the maximum you can have and tell you that you've reached their maximum internal limit. At least that way you won't be leaving any CLI $$$ on the table.

Thanks for the information. Given that they decided to review my 20% increase, I am not so sure they would not just have rejected a 40% outright. For the last few months I have spent well over $15,000 a month, but have not run into my limit yet, so I was not really sure I could justify a larger increase anyway. Also, in the period before I stopped paying interest, I had run a large balance for several years (with periods when I would zero it). This is by far the longest I have kept the card balance-less, but they may not really trust me yet. :-D

ThomasJNewton · ‎04-22-2023

@OmarGB9 wrote:
SP when done via app or website. The rep is right in a way because if you ask for a CLI via phone with them, it *does* seem to trigger a HP.

That fits.

ETA: The prequal tool is useless/unreliable. Don't bother using it to gauge approval odds of anything.

Good to know. I am not really looking for another card from them, at least not for a while. I am interested in only a few other cards (in no real order):

Apple Card
Capital One Venture X
Chase Sapphire Reserve
United Quest

If/when I get those, I might look around at some of the others:

Alliant Visa Signature
PenFed PowerCash Rewards
NASA FCU Star Trek Card
State Department FCU Premium CashBack+
UN FCU Visa Signature