What's the difference between available credit and credit limit?

If you go over your credit limit, your credit card company may add the over-limit amount to your minimum payment, lower your credit line, or even close the account if you’re exceeding the limit too often. Also, your credit score will drop if the balance is still over the limit when reported to the credit bureaus. That said, it’s more likely that the card’s issuer will simply decline any transaction that would result in the balance exceeding the credit limit.... read full answer

Key Things to Know About Going Over Your Credit Limit

Opt-In Requirement for Fees.

The only time credit card issuers can charge an over-limit fee is when a cardholder has opted in for the ability to exceed their credit limit.

Other Fee Limitations.

Even when you’ve given your credit card company permission to authorize over-limit charges, a card issuer can only assess one over-limit fee per billing cycle, and that fee cannot exceed the amount by which you’ve gone over the limit.

Declined Transactions are Increasingly Common.

Ever since the CARD Act of 2009, which created these over-limit rules, most card issuers have stopped charging over-limit fees. Instead, they often just decline transactions that would go over your limit.

High Credit Utilization is Bad for Your Credit Score.

Credit utilization accounts for about 20% of your overall credit score. To avoid reaching your card’s credit limit and risking significant damage to your credit score, consider paying down your balance more often, applying for a new line of credit, or asking your card’s issuer for a credit limit increase.

To see the credit utilization on each of your credit card accounts and learn how that usage may impact your credit score, sign up for a free WalletHub account and check out the credit score simulator.

To get approved for a high limit credit card, you will need good to excellent credit and proof that you can afford a high spending limit. More specifically, your credit limit will be determined by several factors, including your income, assets, and existing debt obligations. Picking the right credit card goes a long way, too.... read full answer

How to Get Approved for a High Limit Credit Card

• Apply for a credit card with a high starting limit: Top-notch credit cards such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card typically offer credit limits starting at $5,000. You may find minimum starting credit limits listed in some cards’ terms and conditions. In other cases, you might be able to get some information from cardholders’ reviews.
• Improve your credit score: High limit credit cards typically require good or excellent credit. Before you apply for such a card, you should check your credit score to gauge your approval odds. If you’re unlikely to qualify based on your score, you will need to add positive information to your credit report. Once you’ve established a strong credit profile, you can then target credit cards known for their high initial credit limits.
• Increase your income and reduce your debt: The higher your income is, the better chance you have of getting a new card with a high initial credit limit. Similarly, reducing your debt boosts your odds. Also, if your income goes up in the future, be sure to update your credit card’s information, as this could help get you a higher credit limit.
• Get a credit limit increase: Some credit card issuers may automatically review your account for a credit limit increase every 6 to 12 months, but it’s not guaranteed. You can also request a credit limit increase, either online or by calling the issuer’s customer service department. Keep in mind that requesting a credit limit increase on your own may result in a hard inquiry, which could hurt your credit score.

Ultimately, to have a better chance at getting approved for a high limit credit card, you should also make sure to always pay bills on time, use 30% or less of your available credit, and otherwise make good financial decisions.

Available credit is the remaining amount of your credit card’s credit line that you haven’t spent yet. You can find your available credit on your monthly account statement or by logging in to your online credit card account. It’s important to be aware of how much available credit you have because if you try to spend more than that amount, your card may be ... read full answerdeclined.

To calculate your available credit, the card issuer starts with your full credit limit. Then, your current balance – i.e. the amounts of any purchases, fees, and interest you currently owe, minus any payments you’ve made toward your balance – is subtracted from your credit limit. This leaves your available credit.

Here’s an easier way to visualize available credit:

Credit Limit – Current Balance = Available Credit

Available credit isn’t only calculated once a month, of course. It changes every time your current balance changes. For example, when you make a payment on your credit card, your available credit increases. When you make a purchase with your card, your available credit will decrease.

It’s worth noting that the less available credit you have, the higher your credit utilization on that credit card will be. And if your credit utilization stays high, that can spell bad news for your credit score. Make sure to keep your overall credit utilization below 30% to maintain your credit standing.