Hi all,
Been searchign the boards and can't figure out the right path so I thought I would ask. Thanks in advance for your help!
I'm due for a CLI request at the end of the month. Today is the last day of my July statement so I'm trying to figure out if, before I ask for a CLI, do I pay down my balance.
Here is my current situation:
Amex BCE: about 7 months old - opened Dec 2022 w/ starting limit of 12k. - Fico8~740 (a few older charge offs/late payments).
After 90+ days, CLI request: Asked for increase of 10K and was approved!! New CLI = 22k. BTW, I didnt know I could ask for more - 3x - but even if I did hear about this, I would be hesitant to ask b/c I didn't want to get proof of income request, etc.
Currently: Fico8 is 738/739/724 (dropped a bit b/c my student loan closed and I only have CC and a mortgage/thin profile, need a loan or something to bump it back up again)
I'm due for new CLI request at end of July.
I never carry over my balance to the following month, I always pay previous month before next month statement closing date. Any balance recorded is always for the current month (no interest) and it's always pretty low (from 0-4%). This statement is due to close at about 4% utiliazation ($850) for July (ends today).
Knowing that I have a CLI request coming up, would my chances of a better CLI increase if I have a $0 or lower balance on this statement (the one before I request a CLI)?
Also, if I let the $850 report, do I PIF before I do a CLI request?
Trying to figure out what Amex prefers 
I've had terrible trouble with Discover and cant' get a CLI so I'm worried about the AMEX request!
Thanks in advance!
@JM761 wrote:Hi all,
Been searchign the boards and can't figure out the right path so I thought I would ask. Thanks in advance for your help!
I'm due for a CLI request at the end of the month. Today is the last day of my July statement so I'm trying to figure out if, before I ask for a CLI, do I pay down my balance.
Here is my current situation:
Amex BCE: about 7 months old - opened Dec 2022 w/ starting limit of 12k. - Fico8~740 (a few older charge offs/late payments).
After 90+ days, CLI request: Asked for increase of 10K and was approved!! New CLI = 22k. BTW, I didnt know I could ask for more - 3x - but even if I did hear about this, I would be hesitant to ask b/c I didn't want to get proof of income request, etc.
Currently: Fico8 is 738/739/724 (dropped a bit b/c my student loan closed and I only have CC and a mortgage/thin profile, need a loan or something to bump it back up again)
I'm due for new CLI request at end of July.
I never carry over my balance to the following month, I always pay previous month before next month statement closing date. Any balance recorded is always for the current month (no interest) and it's always pretty low (from 0-4%). This statement is due to close at about 4% utiliazation ($850) for July (ends today).
Knowing that I have a CLI request coming up, would my chances of a better CLI increase if I have a $0 or lower balance on this statement (the one before I request a CLI)?
Also, if I let the $850 report, do I PIF before I do a CLI request?
Trying to figure out what Amex prefers
I've had terrible trouble with Discover and cant' get a CLI so I'm worried about the AMEX request!
Thanks in advance!
It doesn't matter. Just keep doing what you have been doing.
Amex is not Discover. Discover is wildly unpredictable with CLI's, Amex much more normal.
@JM761 wrote:Thanks, @SouthJamaica !
Sadly, I didn't really know what "normal" is - I've been rebuilding back from being sued, charged off Chase, collections on my account. It's been 18 months of rebuilding. At the beginning of my journey, I was at 598 Fico8 score. Now i'm between 724-739, so I'm definitely overthinking trying to get it all right. I' haven't had a "real" card in years and I really don't want to mess it up!
Thanks for the reassurance!
To be completely accurate, Amex is better than normal in terms of CLI's. It's above average in ease and in generosity.
I'm not sure it even matters with AmEx. I've had my BCE card for just over 9 months, all but one or 2 months I paid my current balance down to $0 before the statement cut, and have had three 3x CLIs.
Others have had the same CLI success just paying their statement balance by the due date.
