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$0 Balance causes score to drop

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Anonymous
Not applicable

$0 Balance causes score to drop

Transuninon and Experian are so unpredictable. I get punished by huge score drops when balances on credit cards report $0 Balance. What am I doing wrong??
Message 1 of 9
8 REPLIES 8
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: $0 Balance causes score to drop

It's normal to see a score drop if all your credit cards are reporting zero balance. This is a FICO score penalty for not having any revolving balance reported.

Message 2 of 9
jl4
Established Contributor

Re: $0 Balance causes score to drop

Exactly. A total $0 balance effectively shows that you don’t use them... we know that’s inaccurate in most cases, especially for PIFs, but unless reporting happened daily and the models changed, it’ll just have to exist like that.
EQ8: 779 (Inq: 1) | TU8: 771 (Inq: 0) | EX8: 763 (Inq: 4)
Total Rev: $182,500
Message 3 of 9
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: $0 Balance causes score to drop


@Anonymouswrote:

It's normal to see a score drop if all your credit cards are reporting zero balance. This is a FICO score penalty for not having any revolving balance reported.


Absolutely right. The CB's need to see card use to score you. Leave a small balance for your next cycle and my best guess is you will see a big jump in your scores. Best of luck to you.

Message 4 of 9
jl4
Established Contributor

Re: $0 Balance causes score to drop


@Anonymouswrote:

@Anonymouswrote:

It's normal to see a score drop if all your credit cards are reporting zero balance. This is a FICO score penalty for not having any revolving balance reported.


Absolutely right. The CB's need to see card use to score you. Leave a small balance for your next cycle and my best guess is you will see a big jump in your scores. Best of luck to you.


Even if it's just enough to be 1%. At 10K, that's but $100. Interest 24.99% APR on $100 is $24.99 a year. Worth it, IMO. 

EQ8: 779 (Inq: 1) | TU8: 771 (Inq: 0) | EX8: 763 (Inq: 4)
Total Rev: $182,500
Message 5 of 9
601flyguy
Established Contributor

Re: $0 Balance causes score to drop

You dont have to pay interest, just let a balance report on one of your cards. All zero except one
2019 Spend Summary
$944,008 Amex BRG
$91,953 Amex SC
$58,351 Discover It
$50,046 BofA CR
$36,146 Amex PRG
$6,774 Cap1 QS
$963 Amex CM

$1,188,241 Yearly Spend
Message 6 of 9
HeavenOhio
Senior Contributor

Re: $0 Balance causes score to drop

$5 is enough. 0.000001% will round up to 1%.

 

If you're below $5, you risk a small balance adjustment. That's when the bank forgives your balance rather than bothering to bill you. When that happens, a zero balance is reported.

 

And just to reiterate, you don't have to pay interest to do this. Your positive balance can come from new charges made during the current statement period.

Message 7 of 9
jl4
Established Contributor

Re: $0 Balance causes score to drop

Yes, don’t listen to me. I hadn’t had coffee yet and my brain wasn’t on. 🙊
EQ8: 779 (Inq: 1) | TU8: 771 (Inq: 0) | EX8: 763 (Inq: 4)
Total Rev: $182,500
Message 8 of 9
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: $0 Balance causes score to drop


@jl4wrote:

@Anonymouswrote:

@Anonymouswrote:

It's normal to see a score drop if all your credit cards are reporting zero balance. This is a FICO score penalty for not having any revolving balance reported.


Absolutely right. The CB's need to see card use to score you. Leave a small balance for your next cycle and my best guess is you will see a big jump in your scores. Best of luck to you.


Even if it's just enough to be 1%. At 10K, that's but $100. Interest 24.99% APR on $100 is $24.99 a year. Worth it, IMO. 


What?? You dont run an interest bearing balance, just dont pay before the statement and allow a statement balance to post. Never run balances and pay interest on credit cards.

Message 9 of 9
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