Does U.S. Bank do a hard pull for a credit limit increase?

Requesting a credit limit increase can hurt your score, but only in the short term. If you ask for a higher credit limit, most issuers will do a hard “pull,” or “hard inquiry,” of your credit history. A hard inquiry will temporarily lower your credit score. Bank of America, Barclays, Chase, U.S. Bank and USAA will conduct a hard inquiry if you request a credit limit increase. American Express, Capital One and Wells Fargo will not. Citi will notify you when you call if they will generate a hard inquiry or a soft inquiry, which does not affect your score. Discover typically uses soft inquiries, but if you don’t accept the credit limit offered and request a higher limit, it will then be a hard inquiry.... read full answer

Hard inquiries will lower your credit score by a few points, but can only affect your score for one year. After two years, hard inquires completely drop off of your credit report. The other thing you need to watch out for is overspending. Requesting a credit limit increase could really wind up hurting your credit score if you use the extra spending power to rack up debt you can’t afford to repay.

Still, the potential negatives that come with requesting a credit limit increase can be managed and are often outweighed by the benefits of having a higher credit limit. The boost in your credit limit could also raise your credit score as long as your spending stays at the same level. The additional credit would lower your utilization, which is the ratio of your balance compared to your credit limit. Ideally, this number should be less than 30 percent for each card. Keeping utilization low tells issuers you’re responsible and aren’t just desperate to max out your card.

Some issuers also extend automatic credit limit increases to eligible cardholders. These increases may occur periodically and do not generate a hard inquiry. To give yourself the best odds of receiving an automatic increase, make all of your monthly payments on time, preferably in full. And give it some time. Issuers tend not to extend automatic increases until you’ve had a card for at least six months. Similarly, if you recently received an increase on an existing account, expect to wait at least six to 12 months before you’re considered for another increase, assuming you manage your account responsibly in the meantime.

A soft credit check shows the same information as a hard inquiry. This includes your loans and lines of credit as well as their payment history and any collections accounts, tax liens or other public records in your name. A soft credit check does not hurt your credit because it happens when ... read full answeryou review your own credit report or a creditor does so for regular account maintenance or to pre-screen you for a credit card.

A hard credit check, on the other hand, is used when you apply for a new loan or line of credit. It can also happen when you ask for a higher spending limit on an existing account. A hard credit inquiry causes temporary credit score damage because it signals that you are trying to borrow more, and creditors need to see that you can handle the burden responsibly.

So to recap, hard and soft credit checks show the same thing. They just differ in terms of why they’re done and how they impact your credit score. For a more detailed breakdown, check out WalletHub’s Hard vs. Soft Credit Inquiries guide. You can also learn more about the soft side of things in particular from our article on Soft Credit Checks.

A hard inquiry stays on your credit report for two years and impacts your score for up to 12 months, usually causing it to drop by 10 points or less. Hard inquiries are a record of a lender’s request to review your report when you’ve applied for credit or a loan.... read full answer

You can view the hard inquiries on your credit report for free here on WalletHub. Also, WalletHub's free credit score simulator can help you find out how your score may change as a result of a new hard inquiry.

Note, credit scoring models treat multiple inquiries for the same type of loan in a 14 to 45-day period as one inquiry, allowing consumers to shop around and secure the best terms possible. This rate shopping benefit applies to mortgages, auto loans, student loans and utilities but not credit cards. To protect your credit score, you can compare credit card offers here on WalletHub to choose the right card before applying.