这就是您可能想要检查信用额度的原因

If you haven’t checked your credit card limit recently, it’s a good idea to take a peek. Millions of Americans said their limits had been slashed in recent months, according toa survey by CompareCards.

In the economic fallout of the pandemic, it’s one way banks are trying to reduce risk, says credit expert约翰Ulzheimer., formerly of FICO and Equifax. “More people are out of work or working fewer hours, so the reduction in limits is to prevent a consumer from running up a large balance that they cannot pay back,” he says.

A credit line decrease may impact your credit and ability to borrow what you need—but there are ways to lessen the blow. Here’s what you should know.

什么是信用额度？

Your credit limit is the maximum amount your credit card issuer will lend to you. Once you hit that limit, you must pay down your balance before charging more.

According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, banks only have to notify you of a credit limit decrease if you missed a payment or otherwise raised a red flag. If you haven’t received one of these notices, you can find out if your limit has changed by checking your credit card statement, calling the issuer, or logging in to your account.

Can a lower limit affect your credit score?

简而言之，是的。“下限可能意味着旋转利用率的尖峰，这几乎肯定会导致得分降低，”Ulzheimer说。

这是它的工作原理。您的信用评分部分基于您的信用利用率，或使用多少信用。低信用利用率比率对贷方的风险降低 - 这使您的信贷健康。理想情况下，您的信用利用率应保持约为30％或更低。在比较遗址调查中，大多数信用限制在比较遗传票据调查中减少了1000美元或更小，尽管22％的人数降低了至少5,000美元。

例如，如果您唯一的信用卡上的信用额度为2,000美元，您的余额为400美元，那么您正在使用20％的信用额度。但如果您的发行人最近将您的限额放到1,000美元，并且您的余额不会改变，那么您就会自动使用您的信用额度。因此，您似乎是一个冒险者的借款人，您的信用评分可能会下降。

如果您的信用额度降低，您能做什么？

If you find yourself in this position, there are a few things you can do to mitigate the effects on your score.

1.要求发行人再次增加它

如果您的信用卡限制被削减，请联系到您的卡发行人。“你当然可以要求发行人重新考虑他们的决定，”Ulzheimer说。“但是，他们肯定会说'不。'”

具有良好的信用评分可以提高恢复原始信用额度的机会。您还可以指出您如何负责任地使用该卡。例如，提到您一直是客户，例如，您始终准备持续付款。

2. Talk with your other card issuers

如果这不起作用，但您有另一张信用卡，请联系其他发行人。您可以要求他们增加您的信用额度。

This move can affect your credit in two ways. The issuer may pull your credit when you request an increase, and a hard pull may ding your credit temporarily. But you’re also increasing your total available credit, which can improve your credit health. Overall, it could have a positive effect.

3.拿出一张新的信用卡

Another option is applying for a new account with a different issuer. This can create the same push-and-pull relationship: The negative effect from the hard inquiry will likely be softened by the overall increase in your available credit.

如果你需要一些想法，你可以看看一些我们最喜欢的信用卡that we've reviewed.

But keep in mind: Because banks are looking to reduce risk, they may be offering fewer credit cards right now. Before applying, you can try toimprove your chances of qualifying.

4. Pay your bill more frequently

If all else fails, you can start making more frequent payments. Instead of paying once a month, you could pay off the balance every couple weeks, so that your utilization ratio hovers around or below the recommended 30%.

Bottom Line

您的信用卡条款可以改变，您可能会或可能不会收到通知。不时，检查您的信用卡的重要细节，包括您的信用额度，年度百分比和截止日期。

Also aim to keep your credit utilization around 30% or less. If your credit limit dropped recently, you can contact the issuer, change your spending habits to help keep your credit healthy, or open a new credit card.

虽然您不想使用太多的信用，但偶尔使用信用卡是个好主意。在比较遗留调查中，4名持卡人中有1个表示，在过去的60天内，他们的发行人至少收到了一张信用卡。由于不活动，卡发行人更有可能取消这些账户。

Consider using them for small, recurring payments, like Netflix or your cellphone bill, and set up alerts to make sure you pay the bill when it’s due.

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