Capital One "bucket accounts"

[Anonymous]

Hi all! Quick question.

I had two Cap1 cards, QS1 & Platinum opened at same time just under 3 years ago. They were opened as unsecured with $300 SLs. Since, my CL have only increased to $1550 each. I'm guessing these were "bucketed accounts" and therefore had stunted CLs.

So, I rolled my QS1 CL into my Platinum for a combined total of $3100 CL. I then PC'd the Platinum to the QS.

Does PC'ing remove previous CL suppression? Or will it remain stunted?

Thanks in advance!

[HeavenOhio]

We've seen data that goes both ways. I believe most of it leans toward cards continuing to be bucketed after PCs. However, your card made it up to $1,550, which is higher than the $750 or so that a lot of bucketed accounts seem to top out at.

All you can really do is try. Due to the combination, you won't be eligible for a CLI for six months. In the three or four months preceding eligibility, pump a lot of spending through the card and see what happens. Of course, don't spend money that you woudn't have spent otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Thanks so much! I'll just wait it out and continue requesting CLI. I've since gotten better cards so these haven't been used much in the past year. Perhaps that's why I've not gotten increases. I'll put this QS back into rotation.

[CashBackQueen]

I've always read that once bucketed with capital one, always bucketed. It's best to get your scores up, apply for one of their higher tiered cards, then combine the bucketed card into the better one once eligible.

[HeavenOhio]

@Anonymous, Capital One really likes when you use the card a lot and pay in full. However, you don't need to cut non-zero statement balances if you don't want to. Given your current limit, you'll probably want to make multiple payments each month in order to accommodate your spending.

[HeavenOhio]

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@CashBackQueen wrote:
I've always read that once bucketed with capital one, always bucketed. It's best to get your scores up, apply for one of their higher tiered cards, then combine the bucketed card into the better one once eligible.

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Yeah, that's the case more often than not. But it makes sense to determine whether or not you could be an exception.

[Shooting-For-800]

If you really want CLI and your CR is dramatically better than when you opened the cards, I would consider opening a new Cap One account.  It is not uncommon to get denied for a CLI and approved for $10k or $15k on a new Cap One card with better benefits and better APR the same day if your CR scores are better than they were when the bucketed card was opened.  

Of course, you could try and use your current card for EVERY purchase and make WEEKLY payments for 3 months and see what happens.  You would know for sure by then.

I went from $3k to $3.5k to $12.5k in less than a year on a Cap One card, so CLIs are possible with heavy usage.

Of course, buckets vary so YMMV.

GL!

[Anonymous]

Won't you get automatically denied if you already have two Capital One accounts?