Yep, you bet. Actually, if you haven’t been contacted by your credit card company yet you should be on the lookout for some form of a notice very soon. As a consumer, what you should expect is an envelope containing specific information that will outline the new terms of your credit card, including interest rates and credit card limits.
Specifically, what you’ll be seeing in terms of your credit card limit being cut back are quite stringent and lessened actions. Even with consumer credit already being stretched to the absolute max, there currently are (and soon will be even more of) a plethora of Americans that may discover shrinking or lessened credit limits, despite rising interest rates.
But, the question here is simply “why?” Because, as it is, even those who are responsible in their cardholder positions are getting financially hit here. Having a polished track record and an unsmudged credit score isn’t even enough; to no avail and still, such esteemed cardholders are witnessing their credit card limits being curtailed right in front of them.
FICO Ways of Old and Greeting The New
The old way of determining rates and limits via outstanding balances and FICO scores are still in use, to a degree. But, what’s now being ushered in the door for determining rates and limits are anything including factors such as where you reside or even to the point of surmising how stable your particular job is. More or less, the stance here is directly from a mindset that’s being overly cautious, especially to at-risk borrowers.
Who Are Borrowers That Are “At-Risk?”
Those who would be classified as borrowers at risk include those who are unable to meet their balances. Of course. This makes sense. But, don’t get set on just this determinative classification. Here, cardholders who are deemed at a great risk are those under certain industries such as construction, home-building or mortgage brokerage. It is this set of professionals specifically that are seeing their credit lines being cut more than anyone else.
Also, credit card issuers seem to shrink limits and even deny credit lines for those consumers who live in the hardest-hit housing markets, which shouldn’t be much of a surprise; consider that major banks did the same thing a few months ago via shrinking credit lines for home equity loan products and services.
Expect Credit Ratings To Be Hit
Typically, when credit card limits fall the ratios of cardholders’ debt to their credit undeniably rises. This is not good though. Consider that a domino effect can take place. Just do some reasoning; less credit can lead to an easier means to target over-the-limit charges and subsequent penalties. Also, realize that credit agencies check into individual consumer credit percentages, as far as use is concerned. And, with lower credit card limits cardholders automatically use a greater amount of available credit. This, on its own, can possibly (and would most likely) spur a lowering of a consumers credit score.
And this seems to be the current trend – a tightening of lending within the credit card industry. But, don’t let this pull you down or make you credit situation more dismal than it is or should be. But, know that now, more than ever, is the time to seek credit consolidation, especially if you’re credit is currently malfunctioning and worsening day to day.
