Oh, yes, absolutely they are hurting your scores. The change you've heard about is in the new scoring formula called FICO 08, but it seems to be on ice for the indefinite future. If they are showing on your reports, they are counting in your scores.
Maxed-out is 85 - 90% of the credit line of a card, and I've read that it hurts as badly as a brand new collection. If true, you have the equivalent of two new collections, and that's not good.
Do you need the age of her cards for your own history? If not, I'd get off of them PDQ. If you don't want to come off of them for whatever reason, then it's time for serious paydown to under 50% as a start. And of course, her credit is being hurt as well.
Here's the deal with maxed-out accounts:
if you have credit cards with hardly any balance due, then you have credit. If you have cards that are maxed out, then right now, you don't have any credit, you only have debt.I would get these cards out of both wallets and into a deep, deep dresser drawer, and do whatever it takes to turn your finances around. Right now, your fiancee is looking at the very real possibility of her credit card companies closing those cards down. These are scary times for the finance industry, and it doesn't take much for them to yank all their credit back. FWIW, I work two jobs, 60 - 70 hours a week. I don't have either the time or energy to shop any more, lol. Good luck!
* Credit is a wonderful servant, but a terrible master. * Who's the boss --you or your credit?
FICO's: EQ 781 - TU 793 - EX 779 (from PSECU) - Done credit hunting; having fun with credit gardening. - EQ 590 on 5/14/2007