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Understanding your utilization ratio

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vanillabean
Valued Contributor

Understanding your utilization ratio

I have recently purchased two reports (based on the same data, and the FICO score is the same too).

One is a Score Power along with an Equifax credit report by way of myFICO's Score Watch. The other is a 3-1 Credit Report and a Score Power FICO score including a credit report directly from Equifax.

The myFICO version's #3-7, the credit report, corresponds to the Equifax's credit report. The myFICO version's 1-2 (FICO Score) and 8 (FICO Score Simulator) has the rest, corresponding to the rest of Equifax's Score Power.

Only once is the utilization ratio mentioned in myFICO:

FICO Score, Understanding Your Score (#2)
Ratio of your revolving balances to your credit limits

which corresponds this in Equifax:

Score Power, Understanding Your Score
Ratio of your revolving balances to your credit limits

The percentage is the same in the two cases, but I still don't understand it.

The Equifax purchase has a similar revolving ratio in two other places:

Score Power, Credit Report
Accounts, Revolving, Debt to Credit Ratio

3-1 Credit Report, Credit Summary
Total Revolving Accounts, Debt to Credit Ratio

These two percentages, which are different from each other and from the first percentage mentioned above, however do make sense to me.

Hopefully someone can explain the subtle differences. Thanks Smiley Happy

Message 1 of 10
9 REPLIES 9
vanillabean
Valued Contributor

Re: Understanding your utilization ratio

I believe I now know how the first percentage is calculated. It's the utilization ratio between the balance and the credit limit for one card only!

Another card reports neither the credit limit nor the high balance; I didn't know about "no pre-set spending limit" before I got the card. But it's appreciated that FICO doesn't factor in its balance for the overall utilization ratio when the high balance is reported as $0.

The third and last card reports a high balance (one that I'm particularly fond of), but for some reason that's not documented in the reports, neither its balance nor its high balance is used in FICO's calculation of the overall utilization ratio. I have no idea how that would happen.

Message 2 of 10
RobertEG
Legendary Contributor

Re: Understanding your utilization ratio

Your post is very  confusing, at least to me.

 

What two percentages?

 

If yiou have, for example, three CCS, you then have four separte % util calculations in your credit score.

ONe for each CC, and then one overall % util for all revolving credit.

The combined, overall % util of all revolv credit will score, under this category, for about hallf of the credit util scorng.  The combined effects of indiv util of each indiv account will make up approx the other half of scoring nnder this category.,

Post Smiley Tonguelease

The current balance and CL on each account.

That is what FICO scores, and thus the only way to give you good advice on % util.

 

Message 3 of 10
vanillabean
Valued Contributor

Re: Understanding your utilization ratio

RobertEG wrote:

"Your post is very  confusing, at least to me."

I'm not going to disagree with you there Smiley Wink But first I must ask you this: are you familiar with the two types of reports?

Given your expressed interest in numbers, here's an example with 3 cards: Amex, Visa and MC.

The monthly balance for Amex is $1, the reported high balance is $30, and the reported credit limit is $100.

The monthly balance for Visa is $0, the reported high balance is $105, and the unreported credit limit is $250.

The monthly balance for MC is $5, the unreported high balance is $35, and the unreported credit limit is $150.

Question: as far as FICO is concerned and with one decimal, what's the individual utilization ratio of each of the cards, and what's the overall utilization ratio for all 3 cards?

Message 4 of 10
haulingthescoreup
Moderator Emerita

Re: Understanding your utilization ratio

AmEx: 1% ($1/ $100)

Visa: 0% ($0/ $250)

MC: 3.3% --> 4% ($5/ $150)  Note: FICO rounds up for util, no matter how many decimal places you choose

 

total revolving util: 1.2% --> 2%  ($1 + $0 + $5/ $100 + $250 + $150)

* Credit is a wonderful servant, but a terrible master. * Who's the boss --you or your credit?
FICO's: EQ 781 - TU 793 - EX 779 (from PSECU) - Done credit hunting; having fun with credit gardening. - EQ 590 on 5/14/2007
Message 5 of 10
vanillabean
Valued Contributor

Re: Understanding your utilization ratio

haulingthescoreup wrote:

"AmEx: 1% ($1/ $100)

Visa: 0% ($0/ $250)

MC: 3.3% --> 4% ($5/ $150)  Note: FICO rounds up for util, no matter how many decimal places you choose

total revolving util: 1.2% --> 2%  ($1 + $0 + $5/ $100 + $250 + $150)"

I didn't see that coming Smiley Happy

If the MC CCC doesn't report a CL to the CRA, I don't think the CRA can use it in a FICO calculation.

Message 6 of 10
haulingthescoreup
Moderator Emerita

Re: Understanding your utilization ratio

Not all "no pre-set limit" MC's don't report.

 

OK, wait, that was a terrible sentence. Smiley Very Happy

 

What I was trying to say is that some MC World cards do report a limit (for instance, my USAA MC.) Same for some Visa Signature cards, although I think they seem to be a little more likely to not report.

 

I used to get varying revolving utils reported back in the day, especially with TU. I never did figure out which accounts they were using, but it finally got to where all the reports matched.

 

CL's over $30K are not used in calculating revolving util. This is true for CC's and for LOC's. For instance, I have a $50K HELOC that is ignored for calculating revolving util, even though HELOC's are revolving, not installment.

* Credit is a wonderful servant, but a terrible master. * Who's the boss --you or your credit?
FICO's: EQ 781 - TU 793 - EX 779 (from PSECU) - Done credit hunting; having fun with credit gardening. - EQ 590 on 5/14/2007
Message 7 of 10
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Understanding your utilization ratio

 


@Anonymous-own-fico wrote:

The third and last card reports a high balance (one that I'm particularly fond of), but for some reason that's not documented in the reports, neither its balance nor its high balance is used in FICO's calculation of the overall utilization ratio. I have no idea how that would happen.


What type of card is the third card? It sounds like both the second card and the third card are NPSL accounts. Whether an account reports a high balance or not is no indication of how the account is coded (revolving or NPSL) ...

 

Message 8 of 10
vanillabean
Valued Contributor

Re: Understanding your utilization ratio

It was hasty of me to give the CCCs those names. Better would have been something like Faboulous Farmers United of Oatmeal, Texas, Laughing Lumberjacks Inc. of Oakdale, North Dakota, and Golden Gateway Goods of San Rafael, California.

I didn't mean to imply that MC sometimes reports a credit limit or a high balance and sometimes not. In the world of the example, MC always does neither Smiley Sad

Message 9 of 10
vanillabean
Valued Contributor

Re: Understanding your utilization ratio

Revike wrote:

"What type of card is the third card? It sounds like both the second card and the third card are NPSL accounts. Whether an account reports a high balance or not is no indication of how the account is coded (revolving or NPSL) ..."

It's a United Mileage Plus Visa Signature card. Its high balance is reported to both EQ and TU, but only TU uses it in the utilization ratio. You're right about NPSL; it probably obtained that status either by way of an "obligatory" upgrade or when it moved from First USA to Chase. I was happily oblivious back then about credit reports.

Message 10 of 10
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