How much fluctuation is normal on your score?

[Anonymous]

Ok - just curious - how much can your score fluctuate when you really have no changes on your report?

I see people freaking out over 5-10 points (that don't really put them in a different bracket) when to me - that seems like normal reporting depending on when something reports/or something......

Is a slight change in score normal?  If so, how much?

[Thomas_Thumb]

The amount of fluctuation depends on how thick and aged your credit file is. In general, short term fluctuations under +/- 10 points are normal if you allow credit cards to report balances normally. Key is to avoid late payments and PIF balances to avoid interest penalties.

Focus on short term fluctuations when you need to maximize score for a new loan or if refinancing.

Otherwise, look at how your scores are trending over time along with factors limiting progress toward reaching goals. You may want to periodically ask for CLIs, particularly on cards such as Discover that don't do a hard inquiry. That can be helpful in keeping aggregate UT% low which is beneficial to credit scores.