Every lender has its own criteria for determining how much credit to extend, but there are two common reasons why you might have a low credit limit: Your credit scores may have been low while applying for a specific credit card or loan. You may be relatively new to credit and haven't built up a long credit history yet.
If you've avoided credit cards until now, a $500 limit (or something similar) is the perfect way to get your feet wet. Restricting yourself to a lower limit can be a great, low-pressure way to get started with credit cards.
Reasons Why Your Credit Limit Increase May Have Been Denied
The credit card account is only a few months old. You requested and received a credit line increase in the past few months. You have a low credit score. Your income isn't high enough.
Your score falls within the range of scores, from 300 to 579, considered Very Poor. A 500 FICO® Score is significantly below the average credit score. Many lenders choose not to do business with borrowers whose scores fall in the Very Poor range, on grounds they have unfavorable credit.
Every lender has its own criteria for determining how much credit to extend, but there are two common reasons why you might have a low credit limit: Your credit scores may have been low while applying for a specific credit card or loan. You may be relatively new to credit and haven't built up a long credit history yet.
The average credit card limit for a 25-year-old is around $3,000. To get to that number, it's important to know that the average credit score in that age bracket is 650, which is fair credit.
In 2020, the average credit card credit limit was $30,365, according to Experian data. This was a 3% decrease from the previous year's average. However, average credit card limits also vary by age range, and people who are new to credit or rebuilding their credit may have lower credit limits.
Your credit card company may decide to automatically increase your credit limit. This decision could depend on factors like how long your account has been open and whether you've used your credit responsibly. You could also request an increase yourself.
Once you've made a request, you should generally wait 6-12 months before submitting another. You can ask for another credit limit increase earlier if your financial situation changes, though. For instance, receiving a raise from your job is a great time to ask for an increase since you'll have more money to spend.
Regardless of whether your credit card issuer performs a hard or soft credit check (or both), when you ask for a higher credit limit, the impact those inquiries have on your credit score is typically negligible in the long run.
Your credit utilization rate — the amount of revolving credit you're currently using divided by the total amount of revolving credit you have available — is one of the most important factors that influence your credit scores. So it's a good idea to try to keep it under 30%, which is what's generally recommended.
But even with good credit, the average credit limit you can expect to get with a first credit card is generally between $500 and $1,000. Average credit: If you have fair credit, expect a credit limit of around $300 to $500. Poor credit: Credit limits between $100 and $300 are common for people with poor credit scores.
Your first credit limit may be as low as $100 if your first credit card is from a retail store, but you might be approved for a slightly larger credit limit up to $500 if your first credit card is issued by a bank or credit card company.
Most companies check your credit reports and gross annual income level to determine your credit limit. Factors that issuers like to consider include your repayment history, the length of your credit history and the number of credit accounts on your report.
Average Recovery Time
The good news is that when your score is low, each positive change you make is likely to have a significant impact. For instance, going from a poor credit score of around 500 to a fair credit score (in the 580-669 range) takes around 12 to 18 months of responsible credit use.
Give it some time
But it also suggests that building credit takes time and patience, as you need to establish a track record of financial responsibility. In fact, reaching an excellent credit score of 750+ generally takes 5 or more years.
Depending on where you're starting from, It can take several years or more to build an 800 credit score. You need to have a few years of only positive payment history and a good mix of credit accounts showing you have experience managing different types of credit cards and loans.