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How many credit cards should you have reporting?

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blondy250
Established Contributor

Re: How many credit cards should you have reporting?


@gh17 wrote:

To maximize your credit card in a given month, how many credit cards should you have reporting (i.e. how many should you pay off before the bill vs. how many should you let a balance report)?

 

Should it always be just one reporting, or is it more like a certain fraction of your accounts?  Or does no one know?


For max benefit 1 card under 10%. My updated scores are with two cards reporting under 10%.

Fico 8 12/9/17
Equifax 850, TransUnion 842 10/30/17 , Experian 842 12/11/17 . AAOA 12 years Oldest 20
No inquires since 2014
All credit reports frozen
Fico 8 Equifax Bankcard 866 12/27/16
Message 11 of 16
Revelate
Moderator Emeritus

Re: How many credit cards should you have reporting?

In my own anecdotal experience and from various bits found here and elsewhere: for optimium scoring your number of reported balances should be less than half of your total number of revolving tradelines.  The conventional wisdom of only one reporting a balance is easy for everyone to understand, thought this might be a YMMV situation like so many other things in the model.

 

I have 8 cards (no other revolving tradelines), and I have no change in score (Scorewatch tracking backed by DCU/Walmart monthly for testing purposes) between 1, 2, or 3 cards reporting -- looking back at historical scores and doing the napkin math based on SW tracking balance changes, I might not even have a difference with 4 cards reporting but I'm going to have to test that out maybe this next month along with 5 cards reporting just to see the difference with my own report.

 

ETA: Blondy it might depend on where you are on the curve - with your godlike scores, anything slightly off the top of the mountain might be a derogatory whereas in my lowland plateau my own score has a lot more tolerance built in.

 

ETA2: Whenever I do get to a point where I'm applying for something I really care about (read: mortgage) I'm only going to have one report, but in my general FICOwhatever existence currently I report 3ish cards consistently without worrying about it.

 




        
Message 12 of 16

Re: How many credit cards should you have reporting?

I have been looking all over this site for the answer to this but I am about to receive my very first credit card. Meaning I will only have one card reporting....Should I pay it off in full each month or leave that 1-9% balance on it each month to improve my score?

Only other item I have on my credit is a revolving auto loan, which I pay on time in full each month.

 

Thanks for your assistance!

Message 13 of 16
myjourney
Super Contributor

Re: How many credit cards should you have reporting?


@JerseyGirl1984 wrote:

I have been looking all over this site for the answer to this but I am about to receive my very first credit card. Meaning I will only have one card reporting....Should I pay it off in full each month or leave that 1-9% balance on it each month to improve my score?

Only other item I have on my credit is a revolving auto loan, which I pay on time in full each month.

 

Thanks for your assistance!


Welcome to the forum 

@Keep UTL @ 1-9% until statement cuts then PIF so no INT% is charged 

 

Before you app think...
Have you done your research of the CC?
Does it fit your spending?
Do you have a plan for the bonus w/o going into debt?
Can you afford the AF?
Do you know the cards benefits? Is it worth the HP?
Message 14 of 16

Re: How many credit cards should you have reporting?

Thank you so much for the warm welcome and taking the time to respond to my question.

 

Sorry, I am new to this but just to clarify, you said "when the statement cuts"

 

Does that mean PIF between the time I receive the CC bill and the actual due date?

Message 15 of 16
myjourney
Super Contributor

Re: How many credit cards should you have reporting?


@JerseyGirl1984 wrote:

Thank you so much for the warm welcome and taking the time to respond to my question.

 

Sorry, I am new to this but just to clarify, you said "when the statement cuts"

 

Does that mean PIF between the time I receive the CC bill and the actual due date?


Yes correct you got it Smiley Wink

 

Forum trick Quoting 

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Click reply 

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Enter response 

Before you app think...
Have you done your research of the CC?
Does it fit your spending?
Do you have a plan for the bonus w/o going into debt?
Can you afford the AF?
Do you know the cards benefits? Is it worth the HP?
Message 16 of 16
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