SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED

R.I.A. Federal Credit Union staff and Board of Directors would like to congratulate the winners of our Annual Scholarship Awards. Five scholarships, each totaling one thousand dollars, were awarded to students who are pursuing further education and have excelled academically and within their communities. They have demonstrated excellent community service as well as participation in school extracurricular activities. R.I.A. is honored to contribute to their education and bright futures. Since 1997, more than $75,000 has been awarded to help further the education of our outstanding graduates. We would like to take this opportunity to wish all our 2026 students the best of luck in their future endeavors.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

 R.I.A. GOLF OUTING BENEFITING THE HONOR FLIGHT OF THE QUAD CITIES

We held our 11th Annual R.I.A. Golf Outing Benefiting the Honor Flight of the Quad Cities in May and it was a great success! The Honor Flight of the QC sends much deserving veterans to Washington D.C. to visit the historical monuments built in their honor. Thanks to our volunteers and dedicated sponsors, we raised an astounding $39,700 for the Honor Flight of the Quad Cities. Thank you to everyone who made this event a great success and thank you to our generous sponsors for committing their time and money to the Honor Flight of the QC!

Always a favorite event, R.I.A. was proud to once again sponsor and attend the Savanna Chamber Ladies Day Luncheon this year. Our team enjoyed an afternoon filled with delicious food, meaningful connections, and an inspiring message from the featured speaker. Being part of the Savanna community is truly an honor, and we are grateful for the opportunity to support such a wonderful event each year.

CHARITY GOLF OUTINGS

R.I.A. continued its commitment to community involvement this summer through support of several charitable golf outings benefiting organizations such as Honor Flight, Children’s Miracle Network, YMCA, Support the Troops, and others. These events provide valuable opportunities to strengthen community relationships while supporting causes that align with our mission and values.

The Wisconsin team continues to strengthen community connections through participation in local and military events, including Fort McCoy’s Month of the Military Child, Armed Forces Day, and the U.S. Army Birthday celebration. R.I.A. also remains a proud sponsor of the Tomah Concert Series.

KIDS FOR VETS LEMONADE STAND

When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade and support our veterans along the way! Kids for Vets kicked off the summer with a lemonade stand at the R.I.A. Golf Outing benefiting Honor Flight, helping raise funds for an incredible cause. These kids bring so much energy, hard work, and heart to our community, and we love seeing them support our veterans in such a fun and meaningful way.

Why 50% is OK, But 30% Credit Utilization is Better

For those with a higher utilization rate, paying down your balance can really pay off.

Do one thing: If you have higher than 30% credit utilization, start chipping away at your debt to get it below that important mark.

Lower Balances to Lower Utilization

When it comes to how much money you owe on a credit card, anything above 30% of the total available balance – also known as your utilization rate – will hurt your credit score. Even just one percentage point more. So while using up to 50% of your available credit is obviously better than maxing out a card, it’s not what credit scoring bureaus and lenders want to see.

Why 30% Credit Utilization Matters

Beverly Hartzog, a consumer credit expert and author of The Debt Escape Plan, describes the 30% utilization rate threshold as the gold standard for maintaining good credit: “If you go over 30%, the belief is it’s going to damage your score.”
In fact, every point you go above that pivotal 30% utilization rate can potentially result in a penalty in the form of a lower credit score. Why is that? Of the five main factors that make up most credit scores, credit utilization is considered highly influential.
• Real life example: While it may seem hard to believe, it’s not unusual for someone with a score in the 740 range whose credit utilization rate creeps up to 31% to see their scores drop by 40 to 60 points or more – in one month. The key to building a credit score back up, of course, is by paying down the debt promptly.

Determining Your Overall Utilization Rate

Your credit utilization rate matters both on:

• Each card individually
• All of your debts combined.

Although it’s fairly easy to figure out card-by-card, if you aren’t sure of your overall utilization rate, you can use an online calculator or grab a pen to calculate your rate yourself.

Here are some tips to improve your credit utilization.

Calculating Total Utilization

To compute your total credit utilization, follow this guide: 

• Pull together credit card statements, other loans, and any lines of credit.
• Combine the total balances you owe on all of the accounts.
• Add up your total credit limits across all accounts.
• Divide your total balances by your total available credit.
• This should give you a number that’s less than 1 — such as .60 or .25. 
• To convert it into a percentage, multiply the number by 100.

Millions Battle High Credit Utilization

If you discover that you have 30% credit utilization, know you are not alone – and that you can work on getting the rate lower over time. In 2026, some 1 in 3 active U.S. cardholders – about 68 million people – are using 30% or more of their available credit, according to an analysis of federal data by The Century Foundation. 

While the average consumer credit utilization rate sits at 29.1%, statistics show that those who exceed the 30% credit utilization threshold hold more than 60% of total credit card debt in the U.S.

Hartzog urges consumers to stay well under using 50% of their available credit. “Once you’ve used 50%, you are on a slippery slope of debt,” she says. “If you pay it off every month, that’s one thing, but if you don’t, carrying a balance with half of your credit limit is going to lower your score.” 

What Utilization Rate Results in Better Credit Scores?

When it comes to those with the highest credit scores – often known as prime or super prime borrowers (not a good thing) — a lot of things have to come together to get to a top-tier level. “One guideline is 10%,” Harzog explains.

• Studies have shown that those with an 800 or higher credit score maintain a 10% credit utilization or lower. 

30% Utilization is a Good Goal

Unfortunately, not everyone can maintain a 30% credit utilization rate, Hartzog acknowledges. “A lot of young people may not be able to keep it that low, but you can always ask for a credit limit increase, which, if approved, can lower your utilization ratio as long as you don’t charge anything else on the account over what you have spent already.”

0% Credit Utilization May Hurt Your Score

Going to the other end of the credit utilization spectrum, and maintaining a zero balance on all of your cards, can also be frowned on by lenders and card issuers.

Preventing Account Closure

If you don’t charge anything on a credit card for three months or more, you’ll have far below 30% credit utilization, and your lender could close your account. To keep this from happening:

• Identify a small recurring expense.
• Use the dormant card to pay that bill each month.
• Pay the balance in full before the end of the grace period to avoid paying interest. 

Conclusion: Utilization Impacts Your Credit Score

• Strive to Stay Below 30% Credit Utilization. As mentioned previously, financial institutions and credit experts recommend keeping utilization below 30% to maintain a positive credit profile. That means if you have $10,000 in available credit, don’t use more than $3,000 at any given time.
• 10% and Under. To secure or maintain excellent credit (such as the highest tiers for VantageScore and FICO scoring models), keep your credit card utilization rate under 10%.
• Avoid Zero Balances. Be sure to use cards that have zero balances every few months so that credit card issuers don’t cancel the cards for non-use. 

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How Long Does It Take for Your Credit Report to Update?

Get insight into how and when credit reports update your information.

You paid off a large credit card balance. You disputed an error and won. Or maybe you just made your final car payment. Naturally, you want to see those positive changes reflected on your credit report right away. Unfortunately, credit report updates don’t happen in real time.

In most cases, it takes 30 to 45 days for new information to appear on your credit report. While that can feel frustrating, understanding how credit reporting works can help set realistic expectations and prevent unnecessary worry.

Why Credit Reports Don’t Update Instantly

Many people assume the credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, constantly monitor their financial accounts. That’s not how it works.

The credit bureaus rely on lenders and creditors to send them updated account data.

These companies include:

• Credit card issuers
• Banks and credit unions
• Auto lenders
• Mortgage lenders
• Student loan servicers
• Some collection agencies

The credit bureaus don’t actively collect information every day. They typically wait for creditors to submit updates.

Most Lenders Report Once Per Month

Most lenders report account activity approximately once each month, often shortly after your billing cycle closes. For example, your credit card issuer may report:

• Current balance
• Credit limit
• Payment history
• Account status

If you pay off a large balance today, the lender may not send that updated information until your next statement closes. After that, the credit bureaus still need time to process and update your report. This is why changes often take several weeks to appear.

Your Credit Report Updates in Waves

• Most consumers have multiple credit accounts, and each account may report on a different schedule. For example:

  • One credit card may report on the 5th of the month.
  • Another may report on the 19th.
  • Your auto loan may report on the 29th.
  • Your mortgage lender may report at the beginning of the next month.

  Because every lender follows its own reporting schedule, your credit report is constantly receiving small updates throughout the month rather than one large update all at once.

  As a result, your credit score may fluctuate slightly as new information is added.

Common Credit Report Update Timelines

While reporting timelines vary by lender, here are some general expectations:

• Paying Off Credit Card Debt. Typically appears after your next statement cycle closes and the lender reports the new balance.
• Expected timeline: 30–45 days

• Paying Off a Loan. The lender usually updates the account status after processing the final payment and reporting to the bureaus.
• Expected timeline: 30–60 days
• Credit Report Disputes. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), credit bureaus generally have 30 days to investigate a dispute.
• Expected timeline: 30–45 days

• New Account Opening. New credit cards or loans may appear once the lender submits the account information.
• Expected timeline: A few weeks to 45 days

• Past Due or Late Payments. Negative information is often reported during the lender’s next reporting cycle.
• Expected timeline: Usually within 30 days

Why Your Credit Score May Not Change Immediately

Even after your credit report updates, your credit score may not move as much as you expect.

That’s because credit scores are calculated using many factors, including:

• Payment history
• Credit utilization
• Length of credit history
• New credit inquiries
• Credit mix

For example, paying off a credit card balance may lower your utilization ratio and help your score, but the impact depends on your overall credit profile.

Can You Speed Up Credit Report Updates?

Sometimes. Certain mortgage lenders offer a process called a “rapid rescore,” which allows verified corrections to be reflected more quickly during the mortgage underwriting process.

However, rapid rescoring generally isn’t available directly to consumers and is typically used only in specific lending situations.

For most people, the best approach is patience and consistent monitoring.

How to Stay on Top of Credit Report Updates

Since reporting isn’t instantaneous, it’s important to regularly monitor your credit reports and scores.

Consider these best practices:

• Check your credit reports regularly.
• Monitor account balances after making large payments.
• Confirm that disputes are resolved correctly.
• Review reports after paying off loans.
• Watch for unfamiliar accounts or signs of identity theft.
• Set account alerts with your lenders when available.

Regular monitoring helps ensure updates are reported accurately and allows you to spot problems early.

Do one thing: Find out when your lenders report to the credit bureaus. Knowing those reporting dates can help you better understand when changes may appear on your credit report and when your credit score is most likely to update.

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Special Closings

Independence Day
Saturday, July 4

Labor Day
Monday, September 7

Remember, you can still access your credit union account on holidays and after hours with your R.I.A. FCU ATM/Debit Card, Mobile Banking, DANA or Internet Account Access. Sign up today!

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