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Utilization and credit score relationship

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Anonymous
Not applicable

Utilization and credit score relationship

My utilization recently went up from 5% to 14%. I received an alert about a balance and score change. I looked up my score and 2 scores went up. Experian went up by 12pts and Equifax by 2pts. What's going on? I thought the relationship between utlization rate and score was inverse? I've tried to raise my score by been keeping my utilization between 1%-4% most times and i rarely see that much change in score.  Am i missing something? I'm confused.

Message 1 of 5
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EW800
Valued Contributor

Re: Utilization and credit score relationship

I am far from an expert, but wondering if anything else might have changed - age of a baddie, something fell off or similar?  Through my experience, going over the 9% range usually results in score drops.  Seems like something else must have changed or somehow went into a different bucket?

 

 

Year 2012: All Scores in the 520 range, during a foreclosure, CC Settlement and high UTIL. Very ugly days...
Sept 2024: EX8: 847; EQ8: 850; TU8: 848 -- Middle Mortgage Score: 821
In My Wallet: Discover $73.7K; Cap1 Venture $51.7K; Amex ED $38K; Amex Optima $2.5K; Amex Delta Gold $18K; Citi Costco $24.5K; Cap1 Plat $8.4K; Barclay $7K; Chase Amazon $6K; BoA Plat $21.6K; Citi TY Pref $22K; US Bank $4K; Dell $5K; Care Credit $6.5K. Total Revolving CL: $300K+
My UTIL: Less than 1% - Only allow about $20 a month to report, on one account. .
Message 2 of 5
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Utilization and credit score relationship

For people with young credit or new accounts a lot of times the aging of these accounts will offset changes like this. I typically see jumps at 3-6-12 months from adding a bunch of new accounts.

Message 3 of 5
NRB525
Super Contributor

Re: Utilization and credit score relationship


@Anonymous wrote:

My utilization recently went up from 5% to 14%. I received an alert about a balance and score change. I looked up my score and 2 scores went up. Experian went up by 12pts and Equifax by 2pts. What's going on? I thought the relationship between utlization rate and score was inverse? I've tried to raise my score by been keeping my utilization between 1%-4% most times and i rarely see that much change in score.  Am i missing something? I'm confused.


+1 to EricDET

OP, score changes have many inputs. How old are each of your cards?

High Bal Jan 2009 $116k on $146k limits 80% Util.
Oct 2014 $46k on $127k 36% util EQ 722 TU 727 EX 727
April 2018 $18k on $344k 5% util EQ 806 TU 810 EX 812
Jan 2019 $7.6k on $360k EQ 832 TU 839 EX 831
March 2021 $33k on $312k EQ 796 TU 798 EX 801
May 2021 Paid all Installments and Mortgages, one new Mortgage EQ 761 TY 774 EX 777
April 2022 EQ=811 TU=807 EX=805 - TU VS 3.0 765
Message 4 of 5
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Utilization and credit score relationship

5 years but it shows 3 years average for all. 

Message 5 of 5
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