Age and mix — the slow half of your score
Should I close the card I never use?
2 minute read
Age counts the length of your history and the average age of your accounts. Closing an old card can shorten that average and removes its limit from your utilization math, which can push your usage percentage up overnight.
Mix is about having both revolving accounts (cards, lines) and installment accounts (auto, mortgage, personal loans). Having only one type is a mild limitation, not a crisis.
Neither of these is worth chasing with new accounts. They reward patience more than activity.
Example
You close an unused card with a $10,000 limit. Nothing about your debt changed, but your available credit dropped by $10,000, so your utilization jumps — and the score falls with it.
Why this matters
The instinct to tidy up by closing accounts is one of the most common self-inflicted score drops.
What to do with this
- Keep old no-fee cards open and put one small recurring charge on them.
- If a card has an annual fee you don't want, ask to product-change it instead of closing it.
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