new here, need help

[Anonymous]

I am new here and need lots of help.  I just pulled my credit report and it is bad. I obviously want to clean it up and raise my score. I have about 5 credit cards that are closed by the creditor but not in collections. I am still paying on them. I have a couple that I have already paid off.  Can I call the company and will they remove the account entirely from my report ( the ones with a zero balace)? I am assuming that would raise my score, right? I guess I need to know what I can do with them if anything.

[Woolfman]

If the account is closed with no negatives (late pays , or charge off) it doesn't negatively affect your credit score . It in a way helps because it gives you a longer credit history

If they do have negatives but are paid . You will most likely not get them to budge and remove them . But in all cases of this . It never hurts to call and ask them .

[MarineVietVet]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I am new here and need lots of help.  I just pulled my credit report and it is bad. I obviously want to clean it up and raise my score. I have about 5 credit cards that are closed by the creditor but not in collections. I am still paying on them. I have a couple that I have already paid off.  Can I call the company and will they remove the account entirely from my report ( the ones with a zero balace)? I am assuming that would raise my score, right? I guess I need to know what I can do with them if anything.

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Hello and welcome to the forums.

As long as these were closed in good standing you don't want them removed. They will continue to help your AAoA (Average Age of Accounts) and your credit length history for up to 10 years after closing. Also closed CC accounts in good standing with balances factor in utilization percentage so if your utilization is high that is hurting you. Try and get those balances down to zero as quickly as possible.

From a BK years ago to:

9/09 EX pulled by lender 802
3/10 EQ- 800
4/10 TU -772

You can do the same thing with hard work

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[Anonymous]

The problem is most of them have late payments on record. But  they are paid off so I  guess I will just focus on paying down stuff that is in collections.

[Wolf3]

How late?

[Anonymous]

90 and 120 days late. I am just starting here so I was hoping for an easy fix in regards to the closed cards with a zero balance. I thought if I could get rid of them somehow it would give my score a boost. But seems there is no such thing.

[Anonymous]

Well, I sort of think of it that it took time to get into trouble, it will take time to get out of trouble.  For an account with a zero balance, some have reported success with "goodwill letters", often abbreviated GW.  If you search the forums you'll see references to them.

[mauve]

How long ago?

Considering these are closed accounts that you are currently paying on, you might have a good case that you're being responsible now, that your past history isn't indicative of your current responsibility, etc.  I'd call them and see if they'd be willing to re-open the account in good standing once they've been paid in full.

[Anonymous]

They are a good 4 years old. Would they have to do a credit check to reopen it?

[mauve]

I'd ask them.  It's been 4 years, and they never made it to collections, and you're paying on them.  Are you concerned about them seeing what else is on your credit report, or are you concerned about the hard inquiry?