 TITLE: What Are Tradelines and How Do They Affect You? CONTENT: What Are Tradelines Used For?\n-----------------------------\nThe information included in your tradelines is primarily used to calculate your credit scores. Because a credit score is just a snapshot of your creditworthiness, however, lenders may also check the tradelines on your credit report to get more information.\nIf you're behind on payments with a certain account, for instance, a lender might check the tradeline to find out how long the account has been delinquent. Or if your credit scores have dipped because you have a high utilization rate on a credit card, a creditor can determine whether you're really a credit risk by checking the balance versus the credit limit.\nIf your limit is $300, for instance, maxing out the card might not be as much of a red flag as if your limit were $10,000. END