I pay no attention to the verbal interpretations included with my CR. They are momentary fluff.
Length of credit history is something you can control for a while, but then can lose all control over.
Keeping old accounts open is the best way that you can control AAoA and inclusion of an old account in FICO scoring.
Dont close old accounts, unless you want to avoid annual fees.
Once you, or they, close an account in good standing, there is absolutely no regulation under the FCRA as to how long that account will continue to be incldued in your CR, and thus subject to FICO scoring.
Most CRAs will continue to include the closed account in your CR for ten years from date of closing, simply to make sure that all of any possible prior derogs that may have been reported under that account have passed the 7, 7/12, or 10 year dates set forth in FCRA 605(a). After that time, they may choose to drop it. They could drop it sooner (they still have your credit file, even though no longer included in your CRs, if disputes arise). Or they may just let it sit there for decades after closing date.
You can have a ten year oldest account that could simply go poof tomorrow, if the CRA deletes it from credit reporting. Or it could stay for another ten or twenty years. The consumer has no control once the account is closed.
