# Closing a Paid-Off Credit Card Can Lower Your Score – Pay Down Other Balances First

- Source: Money Crashers
- Published: 2026-10-24T11:15:00+00:00
- Category: Markets
- Original: https://www.moneycrashers.com/closing-credit-card-score/
- Canonical: https://groundlevelnews.com/story/closing-a-paid-off-credit-card-can-lower-your-score-pay-down-other-bal-ff02fc/

A zero balance doesn’t protect your credit score when you close a credit card and carry balances on your other cards. Its limit stops counting toward your available credit, so those balances take up a bigger share of it. Pay them down first, and if you’re applying for a big loan soon, wait until it’s final. Source

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