If you prefer managing one credit card with a higher limit rather than juggling several smaller ones, reallocating credit limits can be an effective strategy. This approach can be particularly beneficial if you have a card with a 0% APR offer, providing more interest-free borrowing power.

In this post, we’ll explore the policies of major credit card issuers on reallocating and transferring credit limits.

Amex

• You can reallocate credit limits from personal to personal, business to business, and from personal to business cards. You cannot transfer from business to personal.
• Reallocating can be done on the phone or online.

Here is a step-by-step guide for how to reallocate your credit limits online:

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1. Click on Account Services

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2. Click on Payments & Credit Options

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3. Click on Transfer Available Credit To Another Card

• You cannot reallocate your credit limits more than once in 30 days.
• Reallocating credit limits with Amex will only result in a soft credit pull.
• If you want to leave the old card open (the one that you are transferring the credit limit from) then you need to leave over a min of $1,000 credit limit on that card.

Bank of America

• You can reallocate credit limits between credit cards at Bank of America from to personal card to personal or from business card to business card.
• Reallocating credit limits will only result in a soft credit pull

Barclays

• You can reallocate Barclay’s credit limits from personal to personal, business to business, and personal to business. More recent data points suggest that you can’t transfer from business to personal.
• To reallocate balances with Barclays, you need to speak to the Credit Analyst Department.
• Reallocating credit limits at Barclays will only result in a soft credit pull.

Capital One

Updated

Capital One allows credit limit transfers for personal credit card holders whose accounts are in good standing and have been open for an extended period. However, transfers are not permitted from or to business cards, partnership cards, and secured cards.

Process

To reallocate your credit limit with Capital One, follow these steps:

1. Log into your online Capital One account.
2. Navigate to the section where you can manage your credit cards.
3. Select the option to adjust credit limits (either increase or decrease).
4. Specify the amount of credit you want to transfer.
5. Confirm the transaction.

Transfers are typically processed immediately, though some may take up to 30 days if additional review is required.

Impact on Credit Score

• While transferring your credit limits with Capital One does not directly affect your credit score, it does alter your credit utilization ratio. This change can have an influence on your score. Remember, you can make such transfers once every six months on eligible accounts.

Chase

• You can reallocate Chase credit limits only from personal to personal or from business to business.
• Reallocating credit limits by Chase will result in a soft pull, except if the new credit limit will exceed $35,000, which in that case, a hard credit pull will be done.

Citi

• Most report not being successful with reallocating a credit limit with Citi bank; some suggest talking to a supervisor or asking to be transferred to the credit analyst department and only then being successful.
• Both cards will need to be open for six months.
• Citi will make a hard inquiry when reallocating credit limits

Discover

• Discover mostly does not allow reallocating credit limits, but it can be done through first requesting a credit limit increase. And after approved ask to talk to the Credit Operation Department to reallocate the credit limits. For whatever reason, once you approved for a credit line increase reallocating credit lines become possible.

US Bank

• Most report not being successful with reallocating a credit limit with Us Bank; some suggest talking to a supervisor.

Wells Fargo

• Wells Fargo allows reallocating credit limits.
• Wells Fargo will only do a soft pull.

Please note: It is essential that the information in this post is accurate and current. Despite extensive research and consultations with credit card experts, I must admit that a complete understanding remains elusive. Outcomes appear to differ significantly among cardholders, even within the same credit card company. If your experience varies from what is described here, please leave a comment so we can update the post accordingly.