A card you opened years ago sits in a drawer. You haven't used it in months, and its app shows a "Close account" button. Closing it feels like tidying up: one card fewer to watch. But a closed card doesn't leave your credit report the day you close it, and its limit and its age stop counting at different times.
Closing an old card in good standing cuts your total credit limit right away, but FICO Scores generally keep counting the card's age until it leaves your report.
What does my credit age measure?
The ages of your accounts, not your own age: FICO Scores don't consider how old you are. In FICO's published weights, length of credit history is about 15% of a FICO Score. FICO looks at:
- the ages of your oldest and newest accounts, and the average age of all your accounts;
- how long specific accounts have been open;
- how long it's been since you used certain accounts.
FICO Scores generally count closed accounts' ages too, as long as they're on your report. FICO says a longer history is generally positive but not required for a good score. Some people with short histories can still have high FICO Scores when the rest of their report looks good. Each new account lowers the average age of your accounts, and that matters more when you have little other credit (how new applications count).
What happens if I close my oldest card?
Example: Jennifer opened her first card, with no annual fee and a $2,000 limit, in 2007. Her two newer cards, opened in 2013 and 2016, have $3,000 in limits between them, and their statements show $450 in all. In 2019 she closes the old card, which she rarely used. She always paid it on time, so it closes in good standing.
- Right away: her total limit falls from $5,000 to $3,000. The same $450 now uses 15% of it ($450 ÷ $3,000) instead of 9% ($450 ÷ $5,000), above the 10% target we teach (how utilization works).
- Years later: the closed card can stay on her report for up to 10 years, and FICO Scores generally keep counting its age while it's there. By 2029 it's likely gone. Then, if nothing else changes, her oldest account is 16 years old and the average age of her accounts 14.5 years ((16 + 13) ÷ 2). Had she kept the card open, those numbers would be 22 and 17 years ((22 + 16 + 13) ÷ 3).
How much either change moves a score depends on the rest of her report, the CFPB says, and no one can promise a number. Closing can still be the right call. The CFPB says it might be if the card's annual fees or poor terms outweigh its benefits, or if closing helps you avoid debt you can't pay off.
Does a card I never use keep helping?
Its limit helps only while the card is open, and an unused card may not stay open. Experian says an issuer may close it or cut its limit, and there's no universal timeline: each issuer sets its own policy and doesn't have to warn you first. Scores generally don't consider who closed an account, Experian adds, so an issuer's closing counts the same as yours. Experian's rule of thumb: use each card at least once every three months; a small recurring bill is typically enough. If you keep a card you rarely use, read its statements: the CFPB says to watch for identity theft and unexpected fees.
What can I do today?
Open the app or website of the card you've had longest. Check that it's open, whether it charges an annual fee and when you last used it.
- No annual fee, little use: move one small bill you already pay, such as your phone bill, onto it. Set autopay for the full statement balance.
- A fee you don't want to pay: before you close it, ask the issuer whether it can move you to a no-fee card on the same account. Product Change & Downgrade Strategy lists what to ask.
What would you do with this unused card?
You never use your 8-year-old card: no annual fee, $4,000 limit. Your other card has a $1,000 limit and a $250 balance. What's your best move?
- A. Close it, since you never use it
- B. Close it and apply for a new card with a similar limit
- C. Keep it open and put one small bill on it, paid in full ✅
Why: closing it would put your $250 at 25% of your limits ($250 ÷ $1,000) instead of 5% ($250 ÷ $5,000); kept open and used, it costs no fee and its age keeps counting.
Where do these facts come from?
- myFICO (FICO) — What's in your credit score? (updated October 2026); What's Not Included in Your Credit Score? (no date on the page); What is New Credit? (no date on the page); How to Decide Whether It's Time to Close a Credit Card (no date on the page) · Checked October 24, 2026
- CFPB — Does it hurt my credit to close a credit card? (last reviewed December 31, 2024) · Checked October 24, 2026
- Experian — Does Closing a Credit Card Hurt Your Credit? (June 30, 2026); How Long Do Closed Accounts Stay on Your Credit Report? (July 30, 2026); What Happens if I Don't Use My Credit Card? (March 5, 2026); How Often Should I Use My Credit Card? (July 3, 2026); Is 0% Utilization Good for Credit Scores? (December 12, 2025) · Checked October 24, 2026
- Equifax — How Long Does Information Stay on My Equifax Credit Report? (no date on the page) · Checked October 24, 2026