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ClearValue Cards

Credit Utilization

The percentage of your total available credit you're currently using; counts for ~30% of your FICO score.

Utilization is calculated per-card and across-all-cards. Keep under 30% in both views; under 10% is better. Paying before the statement closes (not the due date) lowers the reported balance and improves score. A new card raises your total limit, which can drop utilization overnight — one reason credit-builders sometimes see a score bump immediately after a secured-card approval.

Reviewed by the ClearValue Editorial Team.