Bankruptcy

Understanding Credit Card Cancellations

By Meaghan Olson

Finding out your credit card has been canceled can be frustrating, embarrassing and worrisome.

Unfortunately, tough economic times may mean card cancellations become more common and more likely in the coming months.

Why Credit Cards Matter

Hopefully, you already know that your credit score is a number calculated through a formula developed by the Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) and determines what kind of interest rates you?re likely to receive from lenders.

But what you may not have realized is that your credit card usage plays an important role in your credit score:

• Age of accounts: The longevity of various credit accounts, including loans and lines of credit, is a factor in your credit score. So maintaining a credit card for a number of years is better than opening up new ones and canceling old ones.
• Variety of account types: Another factor of your credit score is the diversity of your credit portfolio. Credit cards are one of the only tools that offer revolving credit, so they demonstrate how well a borrower handles this particular credit product.
• Credit utilization ratio: Finally, credit cards help by giving you more credit available. Part of your score comes from a comparison between how much credit you have available to how much you?re using (using less is better).

So having a card canceled on you may damage your score in three different ways, and there is no law that requires credit card issuers to notify consumers about cancellations.

Reasons for Credit Card Cancellation

Even if you?re a responsible credit card user - meaning you pay your bill on time every month - your credit card company may cancel your card. Common reasons include:

• Ratio shift: If your available-credit-to-debt ratio changes - that is, you start using significantly more credit - a card issuer may cancel your card due to "increased risk."
• Lack of profitability: Sadly, if you pay your bill in full every month, the issuer isn?t making much money from you, and may cancel your card.
• Lack of use: If you haven?t used your card in several months, it could get the shaft. Charge something small every month or so and pay it off immediately to prevent this.
• Bad economy: Market conditions, like unfavorable interest rates or housing prices, may cause card issuers to close accounts.
• Credit report information: Negative information in your credit report, whether true or not, can make an issuer pull the plug.

In some cases, you won?t be able to prevent cancellation, but you can stay on top of your finances by checking your credit report regularly and fixing any errors you notice. This will help you stay on top of any credit card problems before they arise.

Full post as published by The Bankruptcy Blog on February 05, 2010 (boomark / email).