How Credit Card Balance Transfers Can Affect Your Credit Score
Transferring balance from a high interest credit card to a new lower interest card can definitely save you money on interest, if nothing else at least until the introductory rate ends (if applicable). We all receive those infamous credit card offers in the mail, urging us to apply for a new card and transfer our high interest balance over, in order to take advantage of the lower interest rate that this new card has to offer.
This seems like a logical thing to do, right? I mean, lower interest rates on your credit accounts equals more money in your pocket, true? Yes, transferring your credit card balance from a high interest credit account to a lower one is an excellent way to save money on interest, especially if you carry a lot of debt on your credit card(s).
But how does this affect your credit rating and credit score? The answer to that question really depends on your situation, and how you go about it.
A closer look
Lets say you have $5,000 in debt on a credit card account from “ABC Credit Services”, which has a total credit line of $10,000. For this example, lets...