What happens if I close a credit card with a negative balance?
Just like you have to pay the outstanding balance if you still owe money when closing an account, the credit card company must make a payment to you for the full negative balance amount. Unfortunately, you can't place interest charges on the money they have to pay back.
If you have a negative balance while closing a credit card account, it's likely that the card issuer will settle that by refunding the money before officially closing the account. However, you may find yourself with a negative balance if you get one last refund right before the account is officially closed.
Closing a credit card could lower your credit score. That's because it could lead to a higher credit utilization ratio, reduce the average age of your accounts and hurt your credit mix. Before closing a credit card, it's wise to consider these factors and the potential impact on your credit score.
Request a deposit: Check with your credit card issuer to see if you can request the negative balance amount to be deposited to your bank account. You can also ask for a check, money order or cash. Make a purchase: This is the easiest way to resolve a negative balance.
You can close a credit card with a balance, but there are a few things to keep in mind. First, by closing the credit card you will no longer be able to use the card to make purchases. Second, you are still responsible for paying off the rest of your balance. Third, the outstanding balance can still accrue interest.
A credit card can be canceled without harming your credit score. To avoid damage to your credit score, paying down credit card balances first (not just the one you're canceling) is key. Closing a charge card won't affect your credit history (history is a factor in your overall credit score).
| What opening or closing a credit card does to your VantageScore (utilization rate) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Average score change, increased utilization rate | Average score change, decreased utilization rate | |
| Card openers | Down 19 points | Up 7 points |
| Card closers | Down 10 points | Up 14 points |
If you close a credit card with a balance, you'll still be responsible for that debt. Card issuers will continue to send statements in the mail, and interest will still be applied to that balance. It's best to leave your account open, as there can be negative impacts on your credit score if you close a card.
The short answer is no. We never recommend closing a credit card for the sole purpose of raising your FICO Score.
A negative balance will usually sit in an account for at least 60 to 90 days before the bank may decide to refund the money via check or cash deposit into a linked account. Because the card issuer owes the cardholder, there won't be a monthly payment required or danger of accruing interest.
Why shouldn't you close unused credit cards?
Canceling a credit card will cause a direct hit to your credit score, so more often than not, you'll want to keep the account open. Correctly managing an open, rarely-used account may require some extra attention, but the added effort will help your credit in the long run.
In general, you should be able to close your account by calling the credit card company and following up with a written notice. If you still have a balance when you close your account, you are required to pay off any balance on schedule. The card company is allowed to charge interest on the amount you still owe.
“While your scores may decrease initially after closing a credit card, they typically rebound in a few months if you continue to make your payments on time,” Griffin says. The primary reason your score may decrease is through losing a credit limit and increasing your utilization rate.
“At a bare minimum, wait until the card anniversary since the first year's annual fee is a sunk cost at this point anyway,” he says. “At that point, usually you can negotiate your way out of one or two annual fees, or they may credit you with an additional reward if you pay the fee.”
How soon after closing can I use my credit card? If you already have a credit card (or opened a new card shortly after closing on a home mortgage loan) there's no need to wait before using the account.
Generally, the bank will not close a checking account that is in an overdraft status. Such an account will be kept open until it is brought current. Then, the account can be closed. Review your deposit account agreement for policies specific to your bank and account.
Closing a credit card can decrease the average age of your accounts, particularly if it's a card that you've had for much longer than others. Closing your newest account, however, generally will have minimal to no impact on credit history.
Owning more than two or three credit cards can become unmanageable for many people. However, your credit needs and financial situation are unique, so there's no hard and fast rule about how many credit cards are too many. The important thing is to make sure that you use your credit cards responsibly.
There is no right number of credit cards to own, and owning multiple cards gives you access to different rewards programs that various cards offer. Owning five cards would give you a bigger total line of credit and lower your credit utilization ratio. If you can manage five cards at once, it's not too many for you.
The 7-year rule means that each negative remark remains on your report for 7 years (possibly more depending on the remark). However, after that period has ended, a remark will most probably fall off of your report.
How can I remove negative balance from my bank account?
In most cases, people quickly eliminate their negative bank balance by simply depositing the amount needed to get their account back in good standing. However, there are certain consequences that your bank may impose, especially if you consistently have a negative bank balance, such as: Overdraft fees.
It's possible that you could see your credit scores drop after fulfilling your payment obligations on a loan or credit card debt. Paying off debt might lower your credit scores if removing the debt affects certain factors like your credit mix, the length of your credit history or your credit utilization ratio.
You applied for a new credit card
Card issuers pull your credit report when you apply for a new credit card because they want to see how much of a risk you pose before lending you a line of credit. This credit check is called a hard inquiry, or “hard pull,” and temporarily lowers your credit score a few points.
New credit applications—like for credit cards or auto loans—can have an impact on your credit scores. That's because a new credit application generally creates a hard credit inquiry, which can cause your credit scores to drop by a few points.
Your credit score may have dropped if you applied for a new card or line of credit or were late on payments or there was fraudulent behavior on your account, among other reasons.
