Decreased credit score?!? (December 2014)

[GBBangi]

I have a Navy Federal rewards Signature card ($25,000 limit), and I'm clueless as to why my credit score dropped by 20 points (749 to 729) this past month when I paid off my credit card balance entirely. When I got the MyFICO score change alert all it said was "Balance amount decreased", which usually seems like a good thing. No late payments or inquiries at all this past month. My November credit card statement balance was ~$1, and my December statement balance I paid exactly the total that was due ahead of time, but the amount charged for bills hadn't been fully processed, so it says my statement balance says that I had $208.01 CR, which was in green and seems good. I know my limit is $25,000, but is fully paying off my credit card by the statement balance date actually hurting my score right now?!? I've had it paid off around the statement balance date before and it's never really hurt my score. Thanks for your time.

http://imgur.com/nGepmPs

[Anonymous]

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@GBBangi wrote:

I have a Navy Federal rewards Signature card ($25,000 limit), and I'm clueless as to why my credit score dropped by 20 points (749 to 729) this past month when I paid off my credit card balance entirely. When I got the MyFICO score change alert all it said was "Balance amount decreased", which usually seems like a good thing. No late payments or inquiries at all this past month. My November credit card statement balance was ~$1, and my December statement balance I paid exactly the total that was due ahead of time, but the amount charged for bills hadn't been fully processed, so it says my statement balance says that I had $208.01 CR, which was in green and seems good. I know my limit is $25,000, but is fully paying off my credit card by the statement balance date actually hurting my score right now?!? I've had it paid off around the statement balance date before and it's never really hurt my score. Thanks for your time.

http://imgur.com/nGepmPs

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While you can never be absolutely positive about what changes cause a score drop or rise, if the NFCU card is your only open revolving account, having a 0 balance could cause that drop. The FICO scoring module likes to see one account with a small balance because it means you are using and paying your card.  Let it report with a small balance and then PIF.

[MarineVietVet]

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@GBBangi wrote:

I have a Navy Federal rewards Signature card ($25,000 limit), and I'm clueless as to why my credit score dropped by 20 points (749 to 729) this past month when I paid off my credit card balance entirely. When I got the MyFICO score change alert all it said was "Balance amount decreased", which usually seems like a good thing. No late payments or inquiries at all this past month. My November credit card statement balance was ~$1, and my December statement balance I paid exactly the total that was due ahead of time, but the amount charged for bills hadn't been fully processed, so it says my statement balance says that I had $208.01 CR, which was in green and seems good. I know my limit is $25,000, but is fully paying off my credit card by the statement balance date actually hurting my score right now?!? I've had it paid off around the statement balance date before and it's never really hurt my score. Thanks for your time.

http://imgur.com/nGepmPs

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Unfortunately scoring does not like to see all 0 balances on revolving accounts. Next month let a small amount (even $5 will work) report and you should see a bounce in points.

However I don't think having no revolving balances would cause a 20 point drop. I suspect something else changed in your reports. Are you aware of any other changes?