You can’t completely close a card until the balance is paid. If you don’t want any more charges accrued to the card until the balance is paid, you can contact the issuer and ask that the card be frozen until the balance is cleared and the card closed.

Will a credit card company close my account if I don’t use it?

If you don’t use a credit card for a year or more, the issuer may decide to close the account. In fact, inactivity is one of the most common reasons for account cancellations. When your account is idle, the card issuer makes no money from transaction fees paid by merchants or from interest if you carry a balance.

How long does inactivity last before a credit card is closed?

There’s not a standard inactivity time limit, so it’s difficult to predict when a credit card issuer would close your credit card. It could be six months, one year, two years, or more. You can prevent inactivity cancellations by using your credit card periodically.

How to properly close your credit card account?

Here are some tips on how you should close your credit card account. Before you actually close your account, you need to assess the negative consequences this might have on your credit score. There are several factors that make up your credit score. One of the most important factors is your debt utilization.

How does a closed credit card affect your credit?

Having a closed credit account with a balance on your credit report could really hurt your credit. According to some sources, closing a credit account removes its credit limit, so a credit card account closed with a balance would be considered maxed out or over-limit.

How to close a zero balance credit card?

Call the credit card company to confirm that they show a zero balance on the account you want to close. Once confirmed, request via this phone call that the account be closed. Ask that you be mailed written confirmation of the account’s closing.

What to do if you have a negative balance on your credit card?

This will give you better control over your money—instead of being “forced” to spend the money on your card, you can put it into a cash savings account or invest it for the future. If you want a refund of your negative balance, call your credit card company and talk to customer service.