FICO 9 scores dropped 60 points but FICO 8 scores remained within 6 points

[difringe]

So I get the monthly 3-bureau report so I can keep an eye on my scores, and I saw that from Dec 2022 to Jan 2023, my F9 scores dropped around 60 points across all 3 bureaus (742 to 681, 741 to 687, and 747 to 688), while my F8 scores remained about the same (716 to 710, 728 to 729, 717 to 717).  I presumed that the main culprit was more of my accounts reporting with a balance, so I paid off some cards that reported with a balance in Jan 2023, but my F9 scores for Feb 2023 are basically the same (681, 691, 691), and my F8 scores are literally the same.

I know that with FICO 8 scoring, you are segmented into different scorecards based on a variety of factors; I see a thread here that explains that pretty thoroughly (thanks!), however I didn't see an equivalent for FICO 9...from what I was reading, it looked like the segmentation was essentially the same, except there is a 13th scorecard for high utilization.  Do we have any additional details on how F9 scoring works? My profile has remained basically the same, but I did have some cards that aged to 1 year old in January, I do have missed payments from 2018 that would have reached 5 years old in January, and I have a paid collection that reached 5 years old in February.  I can provide more information if that would help the unveiling of how my F9 scores had such a drastic drop while my F8 scores remained effectively the same.

Thanks!

[SouthJamaica]

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@difringe wrote:

So I get the monthly 3-bureau report so I can keep an eye on my scores, and I saw that from Dec 2022 to Jan 2023, my F9 scores dropped around 60 points across all 3 bureaus (742 to 681, 741 to 687, and 747 to 688), while my F8 scores remained about the same (716 to 710, 728 to 729, 717 to 717).  I presumed that the main culprit was more of my accounts reporting with a balance, so I paid off some cards that reported with a balance in Jan 2023, but my F9 scores for Feb 2023 are basically the same (681, 691, 691), and my F8 scores are literally the same.

I know that with FICO 8 scoring, you are segmented into different scorecards based on a variety of factors; I see a thread here that explains that pretty thoroughly (thanks!), however I didn't see an equivalent for FICO 9...from what I was reading, it looked like the segmentation was essentially the same, except there is a 13th scorecard for high utilization.  Do we have any additional details on how F9 scoring works? My profile has remained basically the same, but I did have some cards that aged to 1 year old in January, I do have missed payments from 2018 that would have reached 5 years old in January, and I have a paid collection that reached 5 years old in February.  I can provide more information if that would help the unveiling of how my F9 scores had such a drastic drop while my F8 scores remained effectively the same.

Thanks!

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I do believe that FICO 9 gives more weight to number of accounts reporting a balance. But I find it hard to see that making a 60 point difference. And the failure of your adjustment to rectify the disparity dispels the possibility of that being the reason.

From the timing you describe, it seems like it must have been due to a January 1st change in the FICO 9 scoring model, but I don't know if there were any such changes.

[difringe]

With the random things that I had that reached age milestones in January, I'm thinking that I'm being segmented into a different scorecard, but the FICO 8 scorecards I saw correlate with any of the changes in my report (which makes sense, considering my F8 scores have been stable for months).

A new FICO 9 scoring model would make sense to me if I saw many more people reporting drastic FICO 9 score changes, but I haven't seen any evidence of that...

Edit: looked at my credit report and a card that i paid off before the statement cut has had its reporting delayed (still showing balance from Jan 2023), so maybe it is the number of cards with a balance...

i've got 14 credit cards, 1 of which is a charge card

9 are currently showing a balance, but overall utilization is down from my Jan 2023 report. going to update this next month (or whenever that one card decides to report its 0 balance).  when that card reports its 0 balance, i'll have 7 cards showing a balance.

[Zoostation1]

For me FICO 9 moves more than FICO 8 but is almost always still higher than 8.