.cu-calculator-widget {
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
max-width: 650px;
margin: 20px auto;
background: #ffffff;
border: 1px solid #e2e8f0;
border-radius: 8px;
padding: 25px;
box-shadow: 0 4px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.05);
}
.cu-calculator-widget h2 {
margin-top: 0;
color: #2d3748;
text-align: center;
font-size: 24px;
margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.cu-input-group {
display: flex;
gap: 15px;
margin-bottom: 15px;
align-items: flex-end;
}
.cu-input-col {
flex: 1;
}
.cu-input-col label {
display: block;
font-size: 14px;
font-weight: 600;
color: #4a5568;
margin-bottom: 5px;
}
.cu-input-col input {
width: 100%;
padding: 10px;
border: 1px solid #cbd5e0;
border-radius: 4px;
font-size: 16px;
box-sizing: border-box;
}
.cu-input-col input:focus {
outline: none;
border-color: #4299e1;
box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px rgba(66, 153, 225, 0.2);
}
.cu-btn {
width: 100%;
background-color: #3182ce;
color: white;
border: none;
padding: 12px;
font-size: 16px;
font-weight: bold;
border-radius: 4px;
cursor: pointer;
transition: background-color 0.2s;
margin-top: 10px;
}
.cu-btn:hover {
background-color: #2b6cb0;
}
.cu-result-box {
margin-top: 25px;
padding: 20px;
background-color: #f7fafc;
border-radius: 6px;
border: 1px solid #edf2f7;
display: none;
}
.cu-metric {
display: flex;
justify-content: space-between;
margin-bottom: 10px;
font-size: 15px;
color: #4a5568;
}
.cu-metric span {
font-weight: bold;
color: #2d3748;
}
.cu-final-score {
text-align: center;
margin-top: 15px;
padding-top: 15px;
border-top: 1px solid #e2e8f0;
}
.cu-score-label {
font-size: 14px;
text-transform: uppercase;
letter-spacing: 1px;
color: #718096;
}
.cu-score-value {
font-size: 36px;
font-weight: 800;
margin: 5px 0;
}
.cu-status {
font-size: 14px;
font-weight: 600;
padding: 4px 12px;
border-radius: 20px;
display: inline-block;
}
.cu-progress-bar {
height: 10px;
background-color: #e2e8f0;
border-radius: 5px;
margin-top: 10px;
overflow: hidden;
}
.cu-progress-fill {
height: 100%;
width: 0%;
transition: width 0.5s ease;
}
.cu-card-header {
font-size: 12px;
color: #718096;
margin-bottom: 5px;
border-bottom: 1px solid #edf2f7;
padding-bottom: 2px;
}
/* Article Styles */
.cu-article {
max-width: 800px;
margin: 40px auto;
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
line-height: 1.6;
color: #333;
}
.cu-article h2 {
color: #2c3e50;
border-bottom: 2px solid #3182ce;
padding-bottom: 10px;
margin-top: 40px;
}
.cu-article h3 {
color: #2d3748;
margin-top: 25px;
}
.cu-article p {
margin-bottom: 15px;
}
.cu-article ul {
margin-bottom: 20px;
padding-left: 20px;
}
.cu-article li {
margin-bottom: 8px;
}
.cu-tip-box {
background: #ebf8ff;
border-left: 4px solid #4299e1;
padding: 15px;
margin: 20px 0;
}
@media (max-width: 480px) {
.cu-input-group {
flex-direction: column;
gap: 5px;
}
}
function calculateCreditUtilization() {
// Get values, default to 0 if empty
var b1 = parseFloat(document.getElementById('bal1').value) || 0;
var l1 = parseFloat(document.getElementById('lim1').value) || 0;
var b2 = parseFloat(document.getElementById('bal2').value) || 0;
var l2 = parseFloat(document.getElementById('lim2').value) || 0;
var b3 = parseFloat(document.getElementById('bal3').value) || 0;
var l3 = parseFloat(document.getElementById('lim3').value) || 0;
var b4 = parseFloat(document.getElementById('bal4').value) || 0;
var l4 = parseFloat(document.getElementById('lim4').value) || 0;
// Calculate totals
var totalBalance = b1 + b2 + b3 + b4;
var totalLimit = l1 + l2 + l3 + l4;
// Validate
if (totalLimit <= 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid Credit Limit greater than 0.");
return;
}
// Calculate Ratio
var ratio = (totalBalance / totalLimit) * 100;
// Formatting
var ratioFormatted = ratio.toFixed(2);
// Display updates
document.getElementById('displayTotalBal').innerHTML = '$' + totalBalance.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
document.getElementById('displayTotalLim').innerHTML = '$' + totalLimit.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
document.getElementById('displayRate').innerHTML = ratioFormatted + '%';
// Status Logic
var statusEl = document.getElementById('displayStatus');
var barEl = document.getElementById('progressBar');
var recText = document.getElementById('recommendationText');
var color = '';
var statusText = '';
var recMessage = '';
if (ratio <= 10) {
color = '#48bb78'; // Green
statusText = 'Excellent';
recMessage = 'Great job! Staying under 10% is ideal for the best possible credit score.';
} else if (ratio <= 30) {
color = '#38b2ac'; // Teal
statusText = 'Good';
recMessage = 'You are in the safe zone. Lenders generally prefer utilization below 30%.';
} else if (ratio <= 50) {
color = '#ed8936'; // Orange
statusText = 'Warning';
recMessage = 'Your utilization is getting high. Try paying down balances to boost your score.';
} else if (ratio <= 75) {
color = '#e53e3e'; // Red
statusText = 'High Risk';
recMessage = 'This level significantly hurts your credit score. Consider a repayment plan immediately.';
} else {
color = '#822727'; // Dark Red
statusText = 'Critical';
recMessage = 'Your cards are maxed out or close to it. This is severely impacting your creditworthiness.';
}
statusEl.innerHTML = statusText;
statusEl.style.backgroundColor = color;
statusEl.style.color = '#fff';
barEl.style.width = Math.min(ratio, 100) + '%';
barEl.style.backgroundColor = color;
recText.innerHTML = recMessage;
// Show result box
document.getElementById('cuResult').style.display = 'block';
}
What is Credit Utilization?
Credit utilization is a critical metric used by credit scoring models like FICO and VantageScore to determine your creditworthiness. Put simply, it is the ratio between the amount of revolving credit you are currently using and the total amount of revolving credit you have available.
This ratio accounts for approximately 30% of your total FICO credit score, making it the second most important factor behind your payment history. A lower utilization rate generally indicates to lenders that you are managing your debt responsibly and are not overextended financially.
Formula: Credit Utilization Rate = (Total Outstanding Balance ÷ Total Credit Limit) × 100
Per-Card vs. Total Utilization
When calculating your rate, scoring models look at two different figures:
- Total Utilization: The sum of all your balances divided by the sum of all your credit limits.
- Per-Card Utilization: The balance on a specific card divided by that specific card's limit.
Even if your total utilization is low, maxing out a single credit card can still negatively impact your score. It is best practice to keep balances low across all active accounts.
What is a Good Credit Utilization Rate?
While 0% represents no debt, having a slightly higher utilization (like 1%) is often better than 0% because it shows recent activity and responsible management. However, general guidelines suggest:
- 0% – 10%: Excellent. This range yields the highest credit scores.
- 10% – 30%: Good. This is the standard recommendation. Keeping debt below 30% avoids major penalties to your score.
- 30% – 50%: Warning. At this stage, your score begins to drop noticeably. Lenders may view you as a higher risk.
- 50%+: Poor. Utilization above 50% can severely damage your credit standing and makes obtaining new loans or mortgages difficult.
How to Lower Your Utilization Rate
If the calculator above shows a rate higher than 30%, consider these strategies to lower it:
1. Make Mid-Cycle Payments
Credit card issuers usually report balances to bureaus once a month, often on your statement closing date. If you pay off your balance before the statement closes, the reported balance will be lower, reducing your utilization rate.
2. Request a Credit Limit Increase
If your income has increased or you have a good history with your issuer, you can ask for a limit increase. This increases the denominator in the calculation. For example, a $500 balance on a $1,000 limit is 50%. A $500 balance on a $2,000 limit is only 25%.
3. Keep Old Cards Open
Closing an unused credit card removes its credit limit from your total available credit, which can inadvertently spike your utilization rate. Unless the card has high annual fees, keep it open to maintain a higher total credit limit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this apply to installment loans?
No. Credit utilization primarily applies to revolving credit, such as credit cards and lines of credit. Installment loans (like mortgages, auto loans, or student loans) are treated differently by scoring models.
When is utilization reported?
Most issuers report your balance to the credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) on your statement closing date. This balance is what is used to calculate your rate for that month, regardless of whether you pay it off in full by the due date.
Does being an authorized user help?
Yes, if you become an authorized user on a card with a high limit, low balance, and perfect payment history, it can be added to your credit report. This increases your total available credit, potentially lowering your overall utilization rate.