When your Credit One Bank credit card arrived, it had a credit limit based on your assessed creditworthiness from the time you applied. If you’ve since used your credit card responsibly or increased your income, you may be eligible for an increase in your credit limit.

“Getting a credit limit increase won’t hurt your credit score,” says Chuck Czajka, founder of Macro Money Concepts in Stuart, Florida.

In fact, an increase might even improve your score, as long as you don’t use the higher limit to spend beyond your means. Credit One is for clients with bad and less than perfect credit, so for those with credit problems, a credit rating increase is a welcome result of this demand.

Here’s what you need to know if you want to increase the credit limit on your Credit One Bank card.

Who is eligible for a credit limit increase with Credit One?

Issuers regularly assess borrowers for potential credit increases. In fact, if you’ve been a responsible credit card user or increased your income, Credit One can increase your credit limit for you. If Credit One has not done so, you may need to contact the issuer to request a raise.

“You don’t need a reason to increase your credit limit, although there are plenty of reasons you might ask,” Czajka explains. For example, “getting a raise can help you repair your credit or make big purchases more efficiently.” It can also help you consolidate your debt by allowing you to transfer a balance from a card with a higher interest rate to one with an increased limit.

[Read: Best Secured Credit Cards.]

“You should have had the card for at least six months and have a good history of paying off your debt on time for the credit card in question and any other cards and loans you may have,” says Lisa Fischer, Director of Growth and loans. at Mission Lane, which offers credit cards to those with below-average credit scores.

Responsible use also applies to credit cards you have from other issuers. Credit One Bank assesses your credit and payment history with it as well as with other creditors.

“You may also want to apply when you receive a raise or additional income, so that the credit card companies have more evidence that you can handle the increased expenses,” says Fischer. “On the flip side, you might want to wait to request a raise if your credit isn’t where you want it to be, if you’ve recently opened another line of credit, or if you’ve suffered a pay cut. ”

Credit card issuers also consider the length and stability of your employment history when determining credit limit increases.

“It’s important to only ask for a credit limit increase if you’re sure you’re not overspending and will be using your credit responsibly,” Czajka explains. “Receiving a credit limit increase means you can spend more on your credit card at the same time, which can be good for responsible users and potentially dangerous for those who don’t pay their bill in full each month. ”

What to do before asking for a raise?

“Before asking for a raise, make sure your credit is in tip top shape,” says Fischer. The best way to show you’re ready for a credit limit increase is to use your current cards responsibly. “Make all of your payments on time and try to contribute more than the minimum payment if possible given your financial situation,” she says.

This applies to all of your credit accounts, not just the card you want a raise on. Responsible use of your cards can help you maintain a low rate of credit usage, or the percentage of your available credit that you are using at any given time, which improves your chances of being approved.

Issuers also look at your income, Czajka says. They will likely assess your debt-to-income ratio. If your debt is too high or you’re struggling to pay off your obligations, getting approved for a credit increase is much more difficult, Czajka explains.

[Read: Best Credit Cards for Fair Credit.]

If you’ve nearly used up all of your current cards, the bank may consider you a high-risk borrower and be less willing to give you a larger line of credit.

“Plus, avoid doing anything that could potentially lower your score, like opening a new credit card or taking out a loan, or making a large purchase like a car or furniture that reduces your available funds,” says Fischer. She also recommends taking a close look at your credit report to make sure everything is correct. “Sometimes there can be errors (on the report) that can take a long time to correct,” she says.

Skeff Bisset, managing partner at Bisset Financial Group, says don’t stress too much about your actual credit score. “Frequently, the rating agencies show you a number that may be higher than what is seen by credit card and loan providers,” he says. “If you have a solid score with a good stamp, you might feel comfortable applying.”

Ultimately, getting a credit line increase is about personal responsibility and consistency, Bisset adds. “Showing good behavior and managing what you spend (and) do with your credit is key. ”

How to request a credit limit increase with Credit One Bank

Credit One Bank automatically examines your account for eligibility for the increased credit limit and notifies you as soon as you qualify for a higher line of credit, but you can also request an increase by calling customer service at 877 -825-3242.

Credit One cardholders who have bounced back from potentially credit-damaging events, such as bankruptcy, divorce, or unemployment, should take note of any changes in their finances. When you request a credit limit increase, have these updates of your personal financial information handy, including annual income, employment status, and monthly rent or mortgage payments. The bank determines your debt ratio and assesses your financial stability using this information.

Bisset tells consumers who apply for a credit limit increase or a new credit card to also ask their provider for a lower interest rate. “Believe it or not, they can negotiate with you on this.”

What to do if your request is refused

“There are many reasons why banks deny people increases in credit,” Czajka says. High balances, late payments in the past 12 months, too many credit cards, or even applying to too many credit card companies can all be reasons to deny an application. increase in credit limit.

“I have seen credit card issuers send letters if you were refused because of information on your credit file,” he says. “Some companies will even give you the option to correct this information and reapply. ”

[Read: Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards.]

You can also contact the bank directly for more information on the reasons why you were refused. Credit One cardholders who are denied a raise may need to show improvement by paying on time or staying on top of their balance before taking on more responsibility.

“Consumers should always want to know as much as possible about their financial situation so that they can make improvements where they can,” says Fischer. “This will help improve their chances of getting approved for increases in the future, as well as for other credit needs, like a mortgage or an installment loan. ”

Some common reasons include having a new account. The bank needs to see the payments on time for several months before you become eligible for a raise. Setting up automatic payment can help you never miss a payment.

How Can Increasing Your Credit Limit Affect Your Finances?

Increases in your line of credit can have a positive impact on your finances if you use the increase responsibly. “If your financial situation has improved, an increase in your credit limit means more purchasing power and less use of credit, which can lead to a better credit rating,” says Abhi Chaudhary, Managing Director consumer products at Green Dot Corp., a banking services company. However, “if you need a lifeline, looking for credit limit increases or taking on more and more debt might just be contributing to a hole you can’t get out of.” Before asking for a line of credit increase, weigh the pros and cons.

Advantages:

– Increase flexibility. A higher credit limit allows you to buy more on credit, which can help you reap the rewards of credit cards.

– Pay off debt at higher interest rates. You may be able to transfer higher interest credit card balances to your card after increasing the credit limit, which will help you consolidate your debt and lower its overall cost.

– Improve your credit score. Increasing your credit limit can improve your credit score by lowering your credit utilization rate, as long as you don’t exceed your new limit.

The inconvenients:

– Increased expenses. Being able to spend more doesn’t necessarily mean you should be spending more. If your income cannot cover your expenses, an increase can be a bad idea.

– No more interest charges. If you spend more and can’t pay your bill on time each month, you could end up paying even more interest charges over time.

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Get a credit limit increase with a Credit One Bank card originally appeared on usnews.com

Clarification 07/27/21:

American Express is not like its two big payment rivals, Visa and Mastercard. AmEx is both the brand on its cards and, in any case, for its best-known products, the credit issuer. Visa and Mastercard are brands and payment networks only; your bank or other financial institution is the entity that actually grants the credit.

This means that the company that determines if you can increase your American Express card limit is almost always… American Express (almost always, as the company offers branded cards from outside issuers).

This makes it relatively easy to define the methods and strategies for requesting a limit increase on an American Express credit card issued by AmEx. Fortunately, AmEx credit cards tend to cater to relatively affluent customers, so the issuer is often quite accommodating with limit increase requests.

What’s a credit limit, anyway?

A card’s credit limit is exactly what it says on the label – it’s the highest amount an issuer will allow you to spend. So if your card has a limit of $ 5,000, you’re hitting the wall at that number (and generally, if it’s not covered by optional over-limit protection, transactions will be declined when you cross that threshold. ).

That being said, American Express has its own rules for going over your credit limit. The company says it can grant temporary approval to exceed the limit, and won’t cost you a fee to do so. This will, however, increase the minimum payment due for the relevant statement period.

What is a typical credit limit?

In the larger world of credit cards, there is no such thing as a “typical” limit. It varies considerably depending on the issuer; some cards for new credit card holders will only go up to $ 1,500 or $ 2,000 at most, while high-end products (like many in the American Express line) hit the five and even six range figures.

Some even have virtually no borders; in fact, American Express is known for it – the issuer’s famous Centurion (or “black”) card, for example, has no preset spending limit.

A credit limit also depends on the financial profile of the card holder. If he has proven himself to be a careful and cautious credit manager, especially if he uses little credit and usually pays card statements on time, the issuer will generally set the figure at a relatively high level. For those who have struggled with the same, most likely a lower limit would be imposed.

American Express Rules for Requesting a Credit Limit Increase

American Express has a few rules governing when a cardholder can officially request an increase in their credit limit. The company requires that:

• The request must be made at least 60 days after opening the card account, unless
• You wait at least 90 days between requests for a credit limit increase
• You wait at least six months to request a further credit limit increase on one of your American Express credit cards

American Express often responds immediately to a request; in some cases, it can take up to about 10 days to render a decision.

Important decision factors for American Express

In deciding whether or not to grant a credit limit request, American Express is quite traditional – at least according to its official statements on the matter. Judging by these, the company especially likes to see:

• Debt compared to overall income. A successful candidate will not have too high a debt compared to the total income. AmEx doesn’t state its purpose, but an accepted rule of thumb is that debt shouldn’t exceed around 35% of your income.

Sources of income for an applicant may include:

• Salary and / or
• Freelance salary
• Bond coupon payments
• Payments of dividends on shares
• Rent of real estate held for rent to third parties
• Spending habits. AmEx qualifies this item with the phrase “if known”. In this case, the company will compare this data to your earnings to determine if it would be appropriate to increase your limit.
• Credit reports and ratings. The most important credit scores are assigned by specialized credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and Transunion are the most important). These, along with the reports from these bureaus, give an indication of your status as a borrower.
• Payment history with American Express specifically (if applicable). Do you usually pay your AmEx bills on time? Otherwise, it could be a dealbreaker for a limit increase request.

How to avoid a decrease in your credit limit

American Express’s credit limit changes don’t just go one way. The issuer also reserves the right to lower the cap. This strongly implies that there are two situations in which he will seriously consider doing this:

• If a customer is late on his payments.
• When a card member begins to systematically exceed their credit limit.

American Express and its customers have a mutual interest in maintaining, and potentially increasing, credit limits.

In order to avoid the aforementioned bad habits, AmEx has the following suggestions. Generally speaking, these reflect the general advice offered by credit card experts, which includes advice such as:

• Monitor your credit on a constant basis; nowadays there are many free tools to do this.
• Accompaniement unnecessary expenses.
• Discipline yourself not to be tempted by impulse purchases.
• Implement automatic payments that disburse sufficiently in advance to meet at least the minimum payment on each statement deadline.

How to request an American Express credit increase

It is not at all difficult to request a limit increase on an American Express credit card. A cardholder can do this the old-fashioned way, talking to the company by phoning AmEx Customer Service at 1-800-528-4800. You will tell the kind voice of the robot assistant that you want your credit limit increased.

You will be guided from there. Just make sure you have your current financial (total income, housing expenses, etc.) and biographical information on hand for this.

Of course, you can also request a credit limit increase in line. Simply log into the relevant AmEx card account (if you have more than one), navigate to “Account Services”, then “Credit Management”, and finally click “Increase Line of Credit”.

The system will guide you through the process. Again, have your current financial and biographical information close at hand while you do this.