Closing credit card with AU how does it affect the AU's score?

[Yankee2]

My son has 3 credit cards.. One of his own (around 5 years old) and he is an AU of 2 of my cards. (Age 7 years and 1.5 years)

I want to close the 1.5 year card since I don't need it anymore, but don't want to hurt his score. He puts almost nothing on all three cards so his utilization is around 1% (even after I close the card)

His current score is low 800s. Will reducing his card count from three to two (even with low utiltization) hurt his score?

[AllZero]

---

@Yankee2 wrote:

My son has 3 credit cards.. One of his own (around 5 years old) and he is an AU of 2 of my cards. (Age 7 years and 1.5 years)

I want to close the 1.5 year card since I don't need it anymore, but don't want to hurt his score. He puts almost nothing on all three cards so his utilization is around 1% (even after I close the card)

His current score is low 800s. Will reducing his card count from three to two (even with low utiltization) hurt his score?

---

I'm not exactly sure but if the 7 year old card is still open, he should be fine. Perhaps, have him consider establishing more open revolving accounts of his own when the time is right.

[Anonymous]

I've only seen AU accounts report as closed after removing

I think if it sticks on the report it'd still help with account age

 Either way it's best for someone to get their own accounts, AU boost is score inflation and disregarded by many lenders

[Yankee2]

Yep, understand. To give a little more to the story, he's on disablitity. So I help when I can.

Was thinking it was a young card, so wasn't sure if it would hurt his score much or not if I closed it...

[AllZero]

---

@Yankee2 wrote:

Yep, understand. To give a little more to the story, he's on disablitity. So I help when I can.

Was thinking it was a young card, so wasn't sure if it would hurt his score much or not if I closed it...

---

My guess is once closed, and he does not dispute for removal from the credit reporting agencies, it should stay on his report as it would yours, possibly up to 10 years or until removed.

[Yankee2]

Thanks, was hoping it a close UA stayed on your report.

I've read that 3 cards is a goal for those trying to improve thier score. So reducing it to 2 (if it fell off) with no nothing else on his report, didn't know if that was a big ding or not.

Thanks!

[AllZero]

---

@Yankee2 wrote:

Thanks, was hoping it a close UA stayed on your report.

I've read that 3 cards is a goal for those trying to improve thier score. So reducing it to 2 (if it fell off) with no nothing else on his report, didn't know if that was a big ding or not.

Thanks!

---

@Yankee2 You are welcome. If it does fall off his credit report let us know the data points. @Anonymous  would be interested to know about his thin profile with a FICO 800 score.

[Anonymous]

Yes I would expect a score decrease, but I don’t know how big, as I think the requirement for three cards to not have a penalty requires open cards but I would definitely love to get the DPs as @AllZero said.

The only question is, do you know for sure that it is counting? If both of your cards report zero, does he suffer a penalty?

[Yankee2]

Not sure. I've asked him and he hasn't seen his report. (only gets scores, not sure offhand where)

He did make a comment a few months ago that when he didn't use his card for the whole month, his score dropped 20+ points. Both of my cards that he is an AU on normally gets a little each month. Maybe not both every month, so not sure if if that month was one of those months where one of my cards didn't have spend either.

He said it went right back up the next month when he did put a little spend on his own card. 

[Anonymous]

Yes he was seeing the AZ penalty, but there’s also one for AU cards, if they are counting, so you would have to have both yours report zero and see if he took a score hit to find out for sure they’re even counting