Requesting a credit line increase from Discover is a pretty easy task. The hard part is predicting what the outcome of your request will be, though. Show
In this article, I’ll break down how to request a Discover credit line increase and also provide you with some data points I found showing you how much of an increase you can expect and what type of credit score you may want to have before applying for an increase.
How to request a Discover credit line increaseYou can request a Discover credit line increase in four easy steps:
You can also call 800-347-2683 and request a credit line increase although I would recommend doing it online. Tip: Use the app WalletFlo to give you auto-reminders of when to request credit limit increases! Log into your Discover account
Click on the manage tabOnce you are logged into your account, just click on the “Manage” tab that is found on the top menu bar. Click on “credit line increase”Under “Credit Options,” you will see the “Credit Line Increase” button. Click that to proceed.  Update your income and other detailsYou will now be on the main credit line application page and you just need to fill in the details which I explained below. Discover credit line increase applicationThe credit line application form will ask you to fill out the following information:
Total Annual Gross IncomeYour total annual gross income includes “current or reasonably expected salary, wages, bonus pay, tips, commissions, internships, living expenses, scholarships or grants, and income from investments.” So add up all of your income streams and that will be your annual gross income. Something to be aware of is that if you are 21 years or older, you can include income that you have “reasonable access” to. This is known as “accessible income” and you can read more about it here. Your income is really important when it comes to establishing credit lines so be sure to update it if you ever have an increase because that will increase your odds of getting a credit line increase. Related: Does Income Affect Your Credit Score? Employer NameThis field is straightforward. Simply enter in the name of your employer. If you do not have an employer or would prefer not to answer just enter “other.” Why does Discover ask for this? Some people think it’s because it deters people from lying about their income since they are providing a way for Discover to potentially verify their income. But when it comes to banks verifying your income for credit, that is an extremely rare event and I don’t think you need to worry about dealing with that. Plus, if you are telling the truth you have nothing to worry about. Monthly Housing/Rent PaymentYour monthly mortgage or rent payment is extremely relevant to getting approved for a credit line increase. That’s because this payment cuts down on your discretionary income which is super relevant when it comes to determining your ability to pay off your bills. Hard pull or soft pull?Discover is one of the issuers that sometimes performs a soft pull while other times it performs a hard pull on your credit. The application form states:
This means that your credit line increase could result in a hard pull which could bring down your credit score. Often if you are approved for the credit line increase amount you initially request that will be a soft pull. But sometimes Discover will not accept your request and instead will offer you a counter offer for an increase. Sometimes when you process this request it can result in a hard pull. How bad would a hard pull affect your credit? Typically, a hard pull will only bring down your score around 3 to 5 points but it could bring your score down much more if you have a less established credit profile or have recently applied for a lot of credit. Eventually, after a few months, your credit score should come back up and if you were approved for a credit line increase, it will probably jump higher than where it was before. Related: Credit Pulls Database Guide: Experian, TransUnion, or Equifax? Can you be instantly approved for a credit line increase?Many people will be instantly approved for a credit line increase with Discover. But on other occasions your request might go to a manual review process. In that case, you might see a message like, “”We’re reviewing your request and will let you know in 2 days.” It’s not clear what that means for your approval odds but many people have been approved for credit line increases after receiving the message. What cards can I get a credit line increase for?You should not be limited with respect to the type of card you can get a credit line increase for. Here’s some of the popular Discover cards that you might increase a credit line for:
How much of a credit line increase to request?How much of a credit increase you should request depends a lot on your starting limit. If your starting credit line is $10,000, then requesting a 100% increase could be too aggressive. However, if your credit limit is $500 then requesting a 100% increase could make a lot of sense. Discover is tricky because the process is a true black box and outcomes are unpredictable. I’ve seen reports of people getting several thousand dollars in increases while many others are limited to only $500 increases. My one bit of advice would be to start off small and be patient. I think requesting a 25% increase is generally a conservative approach. Here are some self-reported examples for Discover credit line increases. Below, I’ve listed the amount of the increase and if enough information was given, the percentage that the credit line increased.
Automatic credit line increasesLike many other banks, Discover will sometimes grant you an automatic credit line increase. For example, here’s someone who got an automatic increase from $1,800 to $2,200. It’s very hard to predict when an automatic credit line increase will happen so your best bet is to use your card often and never miss a payment and just cross your fingers. Tips for a Discover credit limit increaseIf you want to increase your odds of being eligible for a Discover credit line increase, there are certain things that you can try. Spend big on your cardA lot of banks don’t like to extend credit to people who don’t use their cards. That’s because they are unprofitable customers. It costs them money to keep your accounts alive and active and if you are never using your card, you are not generating revenue for them in the form of interest fees or interchange fees. Discover seems to be one of those banks that puts extra value on using their cards. So try to use your card a few times a month at least in the months leading up to your credit line increase request. You may also consider cycling your credit limit. Sometimes if you spend close to your credit limit and then pay off that amount multiple times a month, that can be an indicator to your bank that you need more access to credit. Pay off a high balanceYou want your utilization to be in check before you apply for a credit line increase. If Discover sees that you have a maxed out credit card or multiple maxed out credit cards they will feel less good about extending you additional credit because you may just max out that line and become a credit risk. So make sure that you your balance is paid down and in some cases this may require you to pay off your entire balance before your statement closes. That will prevent your outstanding balances from appearing very high and could improve your credit score tremendously. Credit line increases with other issuersYou might also be interested in reading about getting credit limit increases with other issuers.
How often can I request a credit line increase with Discover? It’s often advisable to wait 3 to 6 months between credit line increases although some people have had success when waiting shorter amounts of time. Does discover do a hard or soft pull for credit line increases? If Discover accepts your initial request for a credit line increase it will likely be a soft pull. But if it is not approved, your later request could result in a hard pull. What credit scores are needed for a Discover credit line increase? Final wordOverall, discover is pretty unpredictable when it comes to credit line increases. There are a lot of conflicting data points out there and the amounts for increases can be sporadic. I would just focus on using your Discover card as much as possible and trying more than once if you were not successful. Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time credit card rewards/travel expert and has earned and redeemed millions of miles to travel the globe. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here. How often does discover it increase limit?Discover will automatically increase the credit limit for eligible credit card accounts based on periodic account reviews that typically begin six months after an account is opened. Automatic credit limit increases are done at Discover's discretion, and there's no guarantee when one will occur.
Does credit line increase request hurt your score discover?You Applied for a New Line of Credit: Applying for a new line of credit and requesting a credit limit increase can both result in a hard inquiry. Multiple hard inquiries may negatively impact your credit score and potentially show financial hardship.
Does Discover give automatic credit limit increases?Discover may automatically increase your credit limit depending on your account history and creditworthiness. If you consistently make on-time payments on your Discover card account, for example, you might be more likely to receive an automatic credit limit increase than someone who regularly misses payments.
What is the highest credit limit Discover gives?The highest credit limit on a Discover card is not public knowledge, as Discover does not disclose a maximum credit limit for any of its unsecured credit cards. Some Discover cardholders have reportedly been approved for credit limits ranging from $6,500 up to $9,200.
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How often can you request a credit line increase discover
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