How to Lower a Credit Card's Available Credit Line

Determine your current available credit line., Find your current credit card balance, if any., Estimate the total amount of credit you would like available for this credit card., Contact the bank to request that it lower your credit line limit...

6 Steps 2 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Determine your current available credit line.

    This can be located on a credit card statement, or you can call the credit card's customer service department.

    If you manage your credit card online, you can obtain the information on its website.
  2. Step 2: Find your current credit card balance

    Lenders will not lower credit line available limits below the current balance. , Be certain of your decision to lower your credit line limit, because the process to restore or increase the limit can be more complicated and time-consuming.

    When requesting a credit card limit increase, a bank will reevaluate your account to determine if your credit history fits its current lending guidelines.

    The bank's guidelines may differ from the guidelines previously used to evaluate your credit worthiness. , This can be accomplished by phone, email, or standard mail.

    Once you have properly verified that you are authorized to make changes on this account, the credit card credit line will be lowered effective immediately. , It is important to proactively "opt-out" of the bank's account review program that will routinely evaluate every account to determine if a change is required.

    If you fail to alert the bank as to your desire to "opt-out," it is possible that the credit line will be increased in the future should your account warrant this change.

    If this happens, you can request a lower credit line using the same technique you used to request the first credit card credit line limit change.
  3. Step 3: if any.

  4. Step 4: Estimate the total amount of credit you would like available for this credit card.

  5. Step 5: Contact the bank to request that it lower your credit line limit.

  6. Step 6: Determine if the bank has an automatic account adjustment program.

Detailed Guide

This can be located on a credit card statement, or you can call the credit card's customer service department.

If you manage your credit card online, you can obtain the information on its website.

Lenders will not lower credit line available limits below the current balance. , Be certain of your decision to lower your credit line limit, because the process to restore or increase the limit can be more complicated and time-consuming.

When requesting a credit card limit increase, a bank will reevaluate your account to determine if your credit history fits its current lending guidelines.

The bank's guidelines may differ from the guidelines previously used to evaluate your credit worthiness. , This can be accomplished by phone, email, or standard mail.

Once you have properly verified that you are authorized to make changes on this account, the credit card credit line will be lowered effective immediately. , It is important to proactively "opt-out" of the bank's account review program that will routinely evaluate every account to determine if a change is required.

If you fail to alert the bank as to your desire to "opt-out," it is possible that the credit line will be increased in the future should your account warrant this change.

If this happens, you can request a lower credit line using the same technique you used to request the first credit card credit line limit change.

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Stephen Torres

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