Wondering why??
I wonder why my credit score will drop if I utilize my credit card to almost the limit in the middle of the month. But if I pay the credit card off in the middle of the month, my credit score does not show that it has been paid off, nor does my credit score increase. However, the score does decrease dramatically. For example, I made a significant purchase with my card, and my score dropped 39 points immediately. I am waiting to see if my score increases those points when I pay it off in a week. Could you help me to understand this?
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Official comment
Hi Carolyn -
Thanks for reaching out to NerdWallet! I'm sorry if your credit score isn't behaving as expected, and am happy to offer some insight.
As you're aware, credit utilization (how much of your available credit is being used) is a big factor in determining your credit score. A large purchase is likely to decrease your credit score, while a large payment is likely to increase your credit score. Events such as large purchases and large payments shouldn't be reflected in your credit score immediately, however; they typically take 4 to 6 weeks to process before you see their impact on your credit score. If you make a large purchase and immediately see a drop in your score, that drop was likely caused by an event that occurred 4 to 6 weeks ago. It may have been something other than a large payment or large purchase. Obtaining a new credit card or closing out a credit card are also events that can impact your credit score, among other things.
There can also sometimes be a delay in the credit reporting cycle due to:
- How often the banks that issue your credit cards/loans send information about your accounts to the major credit bureaus in the U.S.
- How often we receive that information from TransUnion (our credit bureau partner).
You may learn more about how credit reporting works here: How Often Do My Credit Reports Update?
Best Regards,
Victor
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