Utilization % - when is it rounded up?

[masscredit]

When is utilization rounded to the next number?  I believe anything under 1% is rounded up to 1%. But say 9.8% Is that 9 or 10%?

[dman23]

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@masscredit wrote:

When is utilization rounded to the next number?  I believe anything under 1% is rounded up to 1%. But say 9.8% Is that 9 or 10%?

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I believe any fraction is rounded up. 9.8% is definitely 10%. (I had 14.68% which shows 15%)

[Anonymous]

dman is right.  That's why, if someone is trying to have a total utilization of 1-9%, he really needs to make sure that his U is < 8.99%.  A util of even 9.001% will be rounded up to 10.

[Anonymous]

The same thing goes for any "breakpoint."  For example, if you are trying to keep your individual utilization (for each card) under 50% (say) then you really want to keep it under 48.99%.

[masscredit]

Thanks!  That's what I thought. Trying 8.91% (3 cards reporting) this month. Just made it under the breakpoint  

[Anonymous]

Thats good to know! Thanks...

I played with the simulators on Credit Check and it provides contrary data. I made Util 9.49 and it rounded down, at 9.51, it rounded up. Glad I hit this link, I know the simulators are toys but I was taking it as Gospel.

Knowledge is, whats the word? Power

[Anonymous]

Hi ccDad.  I just visited Credit Check:

https://www.usaa.com/inet/wc/creditcheck_monitoring_main?akredirect=true

It looks like their scores are Vantage Scores, not FICOs.  I like VS and find it useful, but the CK simulator may be giving correct rounding assessments but just based on the VS model.  If true, that would suggest that VS rounds to the nearest rather than rounding up.  And if THAT is in turn true, I wonder how VS treats a very small utilization, like 0.4%?  That could have a practical impact on people when we tell them to pay all their cards to $0 except one and put $10 on the remaining one.  It wouldn't affect FICO, but if a lender used Vantage it might cause one's util to be treated as 0%, for which we know people get penalized.

[elim]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Hi ccDad.  I just visited Credit Check:

https://www.usaa.com/inet/wc/creditcheck_monitoring_main?akredirect=true

It looks like their scores are Vantage Scores, not FICOs.  I like VS and find it useful, but the CK simulator may be giving correct rounding assessments but just based on the VS model.  If true, that would suggest that VS rounds to the nearest rather than rounding up.  And if THAT is in turn true, I wonder how VS treats a very small utilization, like 0.4%?  That could have a practical impact on people when we tell them to pay all their cards to $0 except one and put $10 on the remaining one.  It wouldn't affect FICO, but if a lender used Vantage it might cause one's util to be treated as 0%, for which we know people get penalized.

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   USAA offers Vantage 3.   Credit Check Total offers Fico 8

[masscredit]

I think the lowest balance that I've been down to was having one card report about $85.00. Didn't see a score decrease. Lost about 15 points for having all of my cards report a zero balance. 

I might play with this a little. I'm just to be at 8.91% this month. Maybe I'll get it up to 9.55% to see if that changes anything. That should round it to 10% which should drop my scores a few points. 

[Anonymous]

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@elim wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

Hi ccDad.  I just visited Credit Check:

https://www.usaa.com/inet/wc/creditcheck_monitoring_main?akredirect=true

It looks like their scores are Vantage Scores, not FICOs.  I like VS and find it useful, but the CK simulator may be giving correct rounding assessments but just based on the VS model.  If true, that would suggest that VS rounds to the nearest rather than rounding up.  And if THAT is in turn true, I wonder how VS treats a very small utilization, like 0.4%?  That could have a practical impact on people when we tell them to pay all their cards to $0 except one and put $10 on the remaining one.  It wouldn't affect FICO, but if a lender used Vantage it might cause one's util to be treated as 0%, for which we know people get penalized.

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   USAA offers Vantage 3.   Credit Check Total offers Fico 8

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Hi Elim!  If ccDad meant that he had used a simulator from Credit Check Total, then he was indeed using a simulator intended to mimic FICO 8.  What he said, however, is that he used a Credit Check simulator, which is the USAA product.  If that's what he meant, and if it is accurate in this respect, then it may mean that Vantage rounds to the nearest rather than always rounding upward.