Does the balance on charge cards impact your credit score?

[Anonymous]

Welcome. Yes it can, if your overall utilization is high. Take your total balances and divide that figure by what your total limits are. What % are you at?

[Anonymous]

Thanks, but I am talking about a charge card such as American Express Gold. These don't have a limit. 

[Anonymous]

I don't believe will have an effect, if paid in full before the next statement cuts.

[Anonymous]

A charge card doesn't factor into your utilization.

Its balance does, however, factor into your overall "amounts owed." As well, its payment history affects your credit score, as does its age.

[cashnocredit]

A charge card balance of any amount doesn't affect

EX FICO 4

EQ FICO 4

TU FICO 4

EX FICO 8

TU FICO 8

It affects:

EQ FICO 8.

TU FICO 98 (obsolete)

For the EQ FICO 8 score it appears to be calculated into the overall utilization level but not the individual card utilization. The charge card "High Balance" field is used in lieu of a credit limit. This field is the highest card balance during the prior 18 months.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, where do you get this kind of information? Everything I can find about this topic online is really vague.

[SouthJamaica]

I have an Amex charge card and it doesn't report any balance on FICO 8 or anywhere else.

The credit reporting agencies seem to have no record of its existence.

I'm sure it would show up if heaven forbid I didn't live up to the terms, but it reports nothing of a positive nature at all.

[cashnocredit]

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@SouthJamaica wrote:

I have an Amex charge card and it doesn't report any balance on FICO 8 or anywhere else.

The credit reporting agencies seem to have no record of its existence.

I'm sure it would show up if heaven forbid I didn't live up to the terms, but it reports nothing of a positive nature at all.

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That's called a hidden trade line. Business/corporate Amex cards and a few consumer cards like JMP's Select and Palladium cards are hidden. They don't show up on consumer credit files and hence have no affect on any score as they are limited to reported information.  They are ghosts - unless you default.

EtoA:

For countries outside of the USA YMMV.