What is the credit limit on a Citi Diamond Preferred card?

You can request a Citibank credit card limit increase online, through the Citi Mobile App, or by phone, at (800) 950-5114. Citi may also offer an automatic credit limit increase if its regular reviews of the account show a history of on-time payments and low debt. Periodic reviews typically start after the account has been open for about six months. To make a decision about a credit limit increase, Citi will also review your current income as well as your credit history.… read full answer

When requesting a credit limit increase, Citibank will consider several factors that determine whether a soft pull or a hard pull will be used. But you can rest assured that Citibank will always notify you before doing a hard pull on your credit report. In case the request will result in a hard pull, it may cause a short-term dip in your credit score. When Citi offers an automatic credit limit increase; they will always use a soft pull.

How to get a Citibank credit card limit increase online:

1. Log in to your online account or your Citi Mobile App. Click Services, and then “Credit Card Services.”
2. Select “Request a Credit Limit Increase” under the Card Management menu.
3. Choose the Citibank account for which you’re requesting the increase (if you have more than one).
4. Enter your total annual income and monthly mortgage/rent payment. Click “Continue.”
5. Confirm the information entered and click “Continue” to submit the request.
6. You should receive the decision within a few seconds of submitting the request. If you’re approved for an increase, the new credit limit is effective immediately.

A Citibank credit card limit increase can boost your credit standing if you use the extra purchasing power responsibly. The added credit can lower your utilization, assuming your spending does not increase, and that in turn can raise your credit score. If you’re planning on making a major purchase soon, an increase will also reduce the risk of maxing out the card’s credit limit.

To raise your chances of being approved for an increase, always pay your bill on time and pay more than the minimum due. And if your income increases, make sure to update that information on your online account, as Citi will see that you can afford higher limits.

No, balance transfers do not hurt your credit score directly, though transferring a balance can indirectly lead to credit score damage. When you apply for a balance transfer credit card, for example, it will generate a hard inquiry on your credit report, causing a slight dip in your credit score.

If you transfer a balance to an existing credit card account, however, there is no hard inquiry and no credit score damage. A balance transfer could still result in high credit utilization, though, and allow you to rack up more debt than you can afford to repay. Both of those things can hurt your credit score.

So, the act of transferring a balance itself won’t affect your credit, but it will indirectly alter several key components of your credit profile, from utilization to the age of your accounts. These changes might lower your score a bit in the short term. But over time, interest savings and the ability to pay off your debt faster should make transferring a balance a net positive for your credit score.

You can use WalletHub’s free credit score simulator tool to get a sense of how a balance transfer might affect your credit score.

How Balance Transfers Can Help or Hurt Your Credit Score

• Credit Inquiries Hurt: If you apply for a new balance transfer card, the resulting hard inquiry will likely cause a slight dip in your credit score for up to 12 months.
• Lower Account Age Hurts: Adding a new balance transfer card will reduce the overall age of your accounts, which can have a slight negative impact on your score.
• Increased Utilization Hurts: Keep an eye on how the transfer affects your account’s credit utilization. Making a transfer will usually add 3%-5% to your debt due to balance transfer fees. If your utilization is over 30% of your credit limit, that’s not good for your score.
• Missed Payments Hurt: If you don’t continue to make payments to your original creditor while the balance transfer is being processed, your credit score will suffer. Balance transfers can take up to three weeks, or be completed in just a few days, after you make a request or apply for a card.
• Reduced Utilization Helps: If you leave your old credit card(s) open, adding a new card will reduce your utilization ratio across all accounts, assuming no additional spending. The utilization on the card you transferred the balance from will drop, and it will increase on the card you transferred the debt to.
• Low Interest Helps: Balance transfer cards often have 0% introductory APRs. This gives you the chance to pay off your balance faster, since the full amount of your payments will go to the principal rather than interest. This is good for your score long-term.
• Less Debt Helps: A balance transfer can help you reduce your debt load. That’s important because how much debt you owe is a key ingredient in your credit score. The less, the better, since people with little-to-no debt are in a more stable position financially.

Bottom Line

Balance transfers won’t hurt your credit by themselves. But they affect other elements of your credit that could bring your score down a little temporarily. Still, the benefits will outweigh the negatives in the long run, as long as you plan to repay most, if not all, of your balance during your card’s low introductory APR period.

Where people get into trouble is trying to use a balance transfer to support unsustainable spending habits, thinking 0% balance transfer credit card offers are always available. They’re not, and learning that the hard way is a very expensive mistake. So make sure to use a balance transfer calculator to make a payment plan.