Credit Score - One for the recordbooks?

[gauss]

I checked my FICO credit score this month as provided by my Barclays Arrival+ card. In the past, my score was always quite high (ie within 2%-3% of the max).

I nearly fell of my chair today when I saw that the reported score is currently at the maximum (ie 850 for this particular system).

I am wondering if this is a fluke or not. Has anyone ever experienced or heard of someone having a perfect (maximum) credit score?

This has the feel of my old academic days when I would occasionally score 100% on a test.

Not bragging (well maybe a bit), but interested if this is real and/or more common than I thought.

-gauss

 

[donheff]

I recently got an email from one of my credit card companies saying I could get an instant check from Experian and it was 830. I just logged back in and got an 836. My credit is frozen so who knows if that might keep me from ever maxing out. Not like it matters.

 

[Bamaman]

I worked in the financial services world, and I've never seen an 850 score. Check back tomorrow and it'll be different.

As someone that's never paid a bill in my life late, I have no desire to know my FICO score which runs around 800. I have no debts and don't plan to borrow any money the rest of my life--at least as long as the stock market's performing.

The whole fallacy of the system is that my wife has not worked since 2000, and she's got a FICO around 815-820. She's bombarded with credit card offers daily--and that's without any earned income.

 

[FUEGO]

Those 850's are pretty rare from what I've read. We're consistently around 830 or so using the same metric from Barclay's site. I do apply for a lot of credit cards though.

 

[Fermion]

We had 5 credit cards, $160,000 limit, zero balance, a home equity line of credit for $70,000 with a nearly paid off home, income above $250,000, and no missed payments for decades. The highest I ever saw our score was 825 so I would say you have the record.

 

[Choices]

I had an 850 for at least one billing cycle according to Discover. It has slipped to 840 ish

 

[gauss]

I worked in the financial services world, and I've never seen an 850 score. Check back tomorrow and it'll be different.

As someone that's never paid a bill in my life late, I have no desire to know my FICO score which runs around 800. I have no debts and don't plan to borrow any money the rest of my life--at least as long as the stock market's performing.

The whole fallacy of the system is that my wife has not worked since 2000, and she's got a FICO around 815-820. She's bombarded with credit card offers daily--and that's without any earned income.

My wife, still working for 2 more years, had a similar reaction when she heard my news this morning.

Kinda reminds me of the scene in Office Space and the lyrics to Alice's Restaurant. Both had an ironic "He's our Man!" moment.

The date of my score was Sep 15, so I probably can expect an update on Oct 15. I guess I will carry myself smugly for the next week or so before reality returns.

-gauss

 

[Bestwifeever]

You can be valedictorian of the e-r.org senior class with that [-]gpa[/-]
credit score

 

[Chuckanut]

I had an 850 for at least one billing cycle according to Discover. It has slipped to 840 ish

If you need help, I have some crayons, cardboard, and know a good street corner to stand on.

 

[RetireAge50]

American Express just started showing the credit score for free. Mine was 842 out of 850 possible. Not sure I really want or care about a high score except it lowers my insurance rates. Our only debt is a small home mortgage and credit cards which are paid in full every month.

 

[DEC-1982]

Congratulations !!!

 

[fishndad42]

Hit 847 a few weeks back. I figured it went up the 17 points from last time because I joined this ER community!

Sent from my SM-G900V using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[braumeister]

Hit 847 a few weeks back. I figured it went up the 17 points from last time because I joined this ER community!

No question about it.
Once your post count gets over 1,000 your FICO score will stabilize at 849 (they want to leave room for improvement in case you ever become a moderator here).

 

[mickeyd]

My highest FICO was 830 but is seems to jump around even tho I pay off all balances monthly and I do not have any loans or other negative financial issues.

I would be willing to sell my FICO score to anyone who could figure out how to do it since I do not plan on making use of it in the future.

 

[gauss]

The odd thing is that I was at 820 during the last reported score and it had been on the decrease over several months from a prior peak of 836.

30 point jump to the max ... go figure?

-gauss

 

[MooreBonds]

For the past 12 months, my credit card statement shows a score of 845 for 11 of those months, with one dip down to 839. Guess if I went back into supertightwad* mode and didn't charge as much it might get up to the perfect score.

*not that I'm currently living high off the hog -I'm still fairly thrifty, compared to the average consumer....

The whole fallacy of the system is that my wife has not worked since 2000, and she's got a FICO around 815-820. She's bombarded with credit card offers daily--and that's without any earned income.

How is this a fallacy? FICO is a snapshot of your current creditworthiness to a lender. It takes into account how you have used credit in the past and what your current credit obligations and credit capacities are at that moment in time, it doesn't measure your ability to pay.

FICO does not have access to your tax return, nor your bank account, so they have no idea what your ability to pay is - just what your willingness to take out loans and your willingness has been to repay them.

If your wife applied for a loan or new credit card, they would now ask her what her income is, and if she puts "$0", then she might find it a tad more difficult to actually get one of those offers.

And think about it - I've never had a credit card company send me a follow-up on what my current salary is, after you have had a card and used it for a while. All that matters is what your salary is when you get the card, and whether you have responsibly used the credit they extend to you. As it is with your wife.

 

[Whisper66]

Just looked mine up. 810, looks like I'm a slacker here..... my evening is ruined!

 

[Moneygrubber]

Mine was 850 also on amex free fico score.


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[gauss]

You can be valedictorian of the e-r.org senior class with that [-]gpa[/-]
credit score

Looks like I will be co-valedictorian based on a few of the posts here!

FWIW in a blog related to Credit Karma the author made the point how rare a perfect credit score was.

She then went on to mention the figure of 0.5% (ie 1 in 200) which did not seem that rare at all to me!

Here is a USA Today article with similar numbers:


This all seems reasonable based on the responses in this thread.

Thanks

-gauss
(Credit Co-valedictorian - Oct 2015)

 

[powerplay]

Mine shows as 814 so guess I'm in the slacker category.

 

[mathjak107]

many are just not fico scores and not comparable