Anyone know how long it takes for credit utilization to be adjusted for AUs?

JivyIvy

Level 2 Member
I was an AU on one of my wife's cards for several years. She recently did a huge balance transfer and it dinged my score really badly. I didn't realize what was going on until I got declined for 2 recent cc apps that I otherwise should've been eligible for. There was a 20k+ balance transferred to the account and it shot a hole in my utilization. My score dropped way down into the low 600s. I'm originally from Canada and I moved to the States about 5 years ago so I'm trying to build my portfolio; my oldest account is only 2 years old, which is approx. the time I got my SSN and permanent resident status. Anyhow, I promptly called the bank (CapitalOne) and requested that they drop me from the account, which was supposedly done weeks ago. I'm no longer an AU on the card and I don't expect that CapOne will report to the bureaus again until November, but I'm wondering how long it will take for my score to revert back to where it was previously at? Should this be an instantaneous thing next cycle and will my score likely climb right back up, or will this be a whole process and effort on my end? I believe I was somewhere around 750 previously with excellent marks across the board for payments, credit line, utilization, etc. Only thing below avg was the age of my credit. Now my utilization is at about 45% which doesn't look too good.
 

knick1959

Level 2 Member
Interestingly, based on a short conversation in another thread, I did some googling just this past weekend and found this DoC post informative:
Code:
http://www.doctorofcredit.com/removing-authorized-user-accounts-credit-report/
He reports that you can challenge TransUnion AUs that should be closed via Credit Karma. The others are a bit more challenging. But there seems to be more that you can do rather that waiting on the bank to report the change.
 

JivyIvy

Level 2 Member
Thanks for that link!

Presumably if I do nothing, the credit bureaus will be updated regardless when the next report cycles?

So far Experian is telling me that I cannot dispute the account online and I need to contact a member. CreditKarma is reporting that they've "hit a temporary snag" and I should try again later or contact them directly. Haven't tried Equifax yet but I'm 0 for 2 so far.

I'm hoping that this will just happen automatically when my report cycles next month...

Edit/Update: Equifax - "The information you provided does not match our records so we are unable to process your request online."

All three credit bureau sites proving to be entirely useless so far.
 
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JivyIvy

Level 2 Member
I finally submitted a dispute through CreditKarma; it looks like they were just having technical site issues the other day. The others are going to be a headache. Will the bureaus auto update next cycle to reflect that I'm no longer on the card when CapOne reports? Again, I'm curious how long it will take for my credit score to bounce back?
 
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knick1959

Level 2 Member
I have no experience with trying to manually get an AU removed ... I've just recently been made aware of the benefits and was getting ready to try it. However, looking at my list of open accounts in descending date order (as provided by CK), I am AU on at least 3 Citi cards that are also marked as CLOSED. These seem the most obvious to me to get removed. You can't really be an AU on a closed card, eh?

Edit: And these have been closed for quite some time.
 

JivyIvy

Level 2 Member
To clarify, I have already been removed as AU. This was both communicated to me over the telephone by a CapOne rep and reconfirmed in writing via a letter that was received several weeks later. It was as easy as calling the bank and requesting that I be removed from the card. My only concern now is when and how that reflects to the bureaus. The card will be carrying a high balance for many months and I do not want it negatively impacting my credit score as I've already been hurt by it and given my recent emigration from Canada which is already limiting, I'd like to be able to take advantage of some cc apps in the coming months; specifically the 25k SPG AmEx referrals while they last. I'm trying to book 2 weeks at the Ritz Tokyo next fall and the 3:1 transfer ratio from Starwood would help me get there. So I'd like to know whether my score will automatically bounce back when the next report cycles or if I'll have to jump through hoops and send letters/emails to Equifax and Experian to update my file?
 

knick1959

Level 2 Member
I wanted to report back in with some minor result from using CreditKarma to remove closed AU accounts from my report. So far I have submitted 2 disputes through CK's simple process. Both were completed in 2-3 days, although this only is good for my TU report (in Ohio this seems to be the most popular report ... I've heard Chase pulls 2 reports, tho).

CK only allows 1 dispute at a time, so this is a little tricky. I've just submitted a 3rd Citi AU account. Once that is gone I'll go back through looking for others. The first account did indeed drop from my report. I won't know about the other 2 until next week, but I'm certain they will be gone too.
 

MickiSue

Level 2 Member
Not being snarky. But is there a reason that you can't just wait and see? Big CC orgs report months to the CRBs, so it's not likely to be a long time.

There is a value in your time spent chasing a result that will happen anyway, chased or not chased. It's highly unlikely that you will change the speed of the update, no matter how much time you put into it.
 

Flanmann

Level 2 Member
I recently did a CK direct dispute for my wife to get her 5/24 number down. Transunion removed Chase United AU, but then today I got a letter from Chase saying that they removed her as an AU also. I just wanted to get that account off the credit report, not get her actually removed as an AU. Did I just make a dumb mistake?
 

knick1959

Level 2 Member
I recently did a CK direct dispute for my wife to get her 5/24 number down. Transunion removed Chase United AU, but then today I got a letter from Chase saying that they removed her as an AU also. I just wanted to get that account off the credit report, not get her actually removed as an AU. Did I just make a dumb mistake?
I was using CK to remove AU records on cards that were closed. It's hard to be an AU when the account has been closed (and I assume it's hard to call in to work on a closed account, particularly if you've shredded the card), and I can see that remaining on the card holder's CR ... but "I'm no longer responsible" seems to pertain to the AU card holder.

That's interesting, tho. That the dispute actually changed the account. Too bad this is only a TU side thing, although if the bank removes the AU it should (eventually) drop from the report. Just not as quickly as we would like.

I'd just be concern that if you NEED your wife as an AU, adding her back on bumps the transaction date and that shows for 2 more years. I'd talk to a CSR and see what you can do if that's the case.
 

Flanmann

Level 2 Member
I was using CK to remove AU records on cards that were closed. It's hard to be an AU when the account has been closed (and I assume it's hard to call in to work on a closed account, particularly if you've shredded the card), and I can see that remaining on the card holder's CR ... but "I'm no longer responsible" seems to pertain to the AU card holder.

That's interesting, tho. That the dispute actually changed the account. Too bad this is only a TU side thing, although if the bank removes the AU it should (eventually) drop from the report. Just not as quickly as we would like.

I'd just be concern that if you NEED your wife as an AU, adding her back on bumps the transaction date and that shows for 2 more years. I'd talk to a CSR and see what you can do if that's the case.
Yeah, I also did disputes through EQ and EXP but I don't think they are finished yet. I don't really need her on that particular account, but I do want her on another one that I did on a Chase card a few days later. Amex, Citi, Discover didn't do that when removing her.
 

GettingReady

Level 2 Member
I'm not sure how it is with other issuers, but with Chase the person can continue to use the credit card, after the AU has been removed, until a new card with a new expiration date is sent out. A CSR told me this and it hasn't been an issue with my husband using the card.
 
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