-14 points for utilization going from 1% to 0%

[FicoGuy2019]

Yesterday, I was at 1% utilization.  The card I want to report a small balance doesn't report until the 12th and I paid off the 1% on another card that reported today.  I wasn't even thinking about the 1 week gap having no balance on any cards reporting.

This morning I received an alert from EX that my score decreased 14 points.   My "Amount of Debt" rating has went from "Exceptional" to "Very Good".    Just another example of how there definitely needs to be a balance on a revolver. 

I am hoping that once the other card reports a balance I get all 14 points back?

[HeavenOhio]

Your points should come back as long as your new balance isn't drastically larger than your previous small balance.

[FicoGuy2019]

I am hoping so. It actually was 0% reporting but the balance on one card I leave reporting is 6.00 so it made it 1% and kept it from being 0%.  I only plan to leave 6.00 again on another card as I try to rotate the balance on different cards every month.

I just saw your post and having the same issue.  Thanks.

[stw715]

Yes, you will get them back assuming your credit reports are sterile/no other movements...

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Noting the reason #2

[Anonymous]

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@HeavenOhio wrote:

Your points should come back as long as your new balance isn't drastically larger than your previous small balance.

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While HO is more or less correct above, I'd just revise it to say that as long as your reported utilization is the same as it was previously you'll get all the points back.  Since it's a different CC, there's a chance (for example) that the limit on that CC is dramatically larger, meaning you could have a dramatically larger balance report on it and still be within the same utilization threshold constraints.

[FicoGuy2019]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@HeavenOhio wrote:

Your points should come back as long as your new balance isn't drastically larger than your previous small balance.

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While HO is more or less correct above, I'd just revise it to say that as long as your reported utilization is the same as it was previously you'll get all the points back.  Since it's a different CC, there's a chance (for example) that the limit on that CC is dramatically larger, meaning you could have a dramatically larger balance report on it and still be within the same utilization threshold constraints.

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Very true.  The balance I have been letting report monthly is 6.00.  The 6.00 of total CL is actually like .000003 or something but it still counts as 1% overall with all total cards reporting 0.  I'll definitely do some math to make sure it comes out to the same, especially with the new NFCU and Cash Magnet I just got last week with 10k each on them and who knows when they will start reporting.  Thanks for pointing that out.

[Anonymous]

Keep in mind that there's likely not a difference between .000001%, 1%, 5% and up to 8.9% in terms of a reported balance.  I'm just pointing this out to illustrate that it's not necessary to report just $6 like you are doing.  I used to micromanage my balances to small single-digit amounts on 5-figure limits, but it really accomplishes nothing.  I finally gave up on that and while I still let [relatively] small balances report, all of them are at least 2-digit and some 3-digit balances, but all reported utilization percentages land typically in the 1%-5% range, give or take.

Very odd this month without any micromanaging I had 4 of my cards report balances of $75, $76, $77 and $78.  Very strange how that worked out.

[FicoGuy2019]

Do charge cards report the same?  My current amex doesn't report a limit like the other cards but it does show "revolver" as the other cards and this reports the soonest of all my cards(Friday). I will plan on carrying a small balance.  The statement closing date is the 11th and I have always paid before closing so it reports a 0 balance, so unfortunuately, that's the reason I don't know.  Usage shows a % but with the Amex it shows "-" which I am assuming is because it's 0?  Although, the other cards actually shows 0% (or whatever the utilization is) under usage.

[Anonymous]

OP, it’s the no revolving account penalty. I just did a test and at 2 bureaus, I lost 14 points and at the other bureau 13. They came back as soon as I showed a balance within the same percentage as stated above. Nothing to worry about.

[FicoGuy2019]

Correct.  When comapring reports I noticed this was missing after everything reported zero.