N
The Daily Insight Hub

Does closing your account lower your FICO score?

Author

Daniel Santos

Updated on February 14, 2026

Bank account information is not part of your credit report, so closing a checking or savings account won’t have any impact on your credit history. The company that buys the debt can then report the collection account to the credit reporting companies, which could cause scores to plummet.

How many points will my credit score decrease if I close a credit card?

Closing a credit card won’t affect your affect your length of credit history (worth 15% of your FICO Score) by lowering your average age of credit. Even after you close a positive account, it may remain on your credit for up to 10 years.

How do I close a credit card without affecting my credit score?

How to Cancel a Credit Card Without Hurting Your Score

  1. Consider the Timing and Impact on Your Credit.
  2. Pay Down the Balance.
  3. Remember to Redeem Any Rewards.
  4. Contact Your Bank to Cancel.
  5. Don’t Accept Their Offers.
  6. Write a Letter for Your Records.
  7. Check Your Credit Report to Ensure the Account Is Closed.

How does closing a credit card affect your credit score?

But not so fast: Closing a credit card can hurt your credit, especially if it’s an account in good standing that’s been open for several years. Here’s what you need to know about how closing a credit card affects your credit. How Closing a Credit Card Will Affect Your Credit Score

Do you need to close a credit card to raise your FICO score?

The short answer is no. We never recommend closing a credit card for the sole purpose of raising your FICO Score. The decision to close down credit cards depends on your reasons for taking this action.

What happens to your credit when you cancel a credit card?

First step in canceling a card: evaluate impact on credit score. Before closing any credit card account, you need to consider the possible effect on your credit score. Just because you cancel a credit card doesn’t mean that its payment information comes off your credit report right away.

How long does a closed credit card stay on your credit report?

While your score will continue to include account history from all closed, as well as open, cards for as long as they remain on your credit report, the credit bureaus remove closed accounts in good standing after about 10 years and closed accounts with a history of late payments after seven years from the date of the delinquency.