well, we can dream and we can justify for about two minutes.... time's up. We are reducing credit card debt.
Paying off a credit card completely seems as if it should do wonders for your credit, but it could be better for your credit score to leave a small balance on the card. When a small amount is owed, the remaining credit on your card is factored into your credit utilization ratios, whereas cards with no balance don't count. So oddly, your credit score can actually drop when you bring a card balance down to zero.
If you've scrimped and struggled to pay off a card, your initial reaction may be to cut up the plastic and close the account. Resist the urge. Various factors are taken into account when calculating your creditworthiness, and 15% of your score is determined by the length of your credit history. By closing an account, especially an older one, you shorten your credit history. The more established accounts you have, the higher your credit score.
Credit card companies also look at how much of your available credit you are using, which is referred to as your credit utilization rate. They like to see 35% or less of your credit in use at any one time. Paying off a credit card and leaving it open improves your utilization score, but closing it could do just the opposite.
Paying off a credit card completely seems as if it should do wonders for your credit, but it could be better for your credit score to leave a small balance on the card. When a small amount is owed, the remaining credit on your card is factored into your credit utilization ratios, whereas cards with no balance don't count. So oddly, your credit score can actually drop when you bring a card balance down to zero.
If you've scrimped and struggled to pay off a card, your initial reaction may be to cut up the plastic and close the account. Resist the urge. Various factors are taken into account when calculating your creditworthiness, and 15% of your score is determined by the length of your credit history. By closing an account, especially an older one, you shorten your credit history. The more established accounts you have, the higher your credit score.
Credit card companies also look at how much of your available credit you are using, which is referred to as your credit utilization rate. They like to see 35% or less of your credit in use at any one time. Paying off a credit card and leaving it open improves your utilization score, but closing it could do just the opposite.
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