Why Credit Scores May Drop After Paying Off Debt | Equifax (2024)

Highlights:

  • It’s possible that you could see your credit scores drop after fulfilling your payment obligations on a loan or credit card debt.
  • Paying off debt might lower your credit scores if removing the debt affects certain factors like your credit mix, the length of your credit history or your credit utilization ratio.
  • While in some cases your credit scores may dip slightly from paying off debt, that doesn’t mean you should ever ignore what you owe.

While paying off your debts often helps improve your credit scores, this isn’t always the case. It’s possible that you could see your credit scores drop after fulfilling your payment obligations on a loan or credit card debt.

However, that doesn’t mean you should ignore what you owe. The benefits of paying your debts are far greater than the drop that you may see in your credit scores, and the negative impact is likely to be temporary.

What elements affect my credit scores?

To better understand why you could see lower credit scores after paying off debt, consider the elements that go into calculating your scores.

Your credit scores are based on information from your credit reports, which are generated by each of the three nationwide consumer reporting agencies (CRAs). The nationwide CRAs — Equifax, TransUnion and Experian — receive information about your lines of credit such as personal loans, credit cards and auto and mortgage loans.

Your credit scores are then calculated based on a formula that determines your creditworthiness, or how likely you are to make your debt payments on time. Credit scores are one factor that lenders may consider when deciding whether to extend credit to you.

There are many formulas used to calculate credit scores. However, most consider the following factors:

  • Payment history. Your payment history shows how you have repaid credit in the past. Certain behaviors, such as late or missed payments, can have a negative impact on your scores.
  • Length of credit history. Your credit reports track the amount of time your credit accounts have been active. A longer credit history can have a positive effect on your scores.
  • Newer lines of credit. Any recent credit accounts you have opened are also taken into consideration when calculating your credit scores.
  • Credit mix. Your mix of credit accounts — including loans, credit cards and mortgages — is generally considered when calculating your scores, and a diverse credit portfolio can have a favorable impact.
  • Credit utilization ratio. The amount of revolving credit you’re using divided by the total credit available to you is known as your credit utilization ratio and can also have an impact on your scores.

Why might my credit scores drop after paying off debts?

Paying off debt might lower your credit scores if removing the debt affects certain factors such as your credit mix, the length of your credit history or your credit utilization ratio.

For example, paying off your only installment loan, such as an auto loan or mortgage, could negatively impact your credit scores by decreasing the diversity of your credit mix. Creditors like to see that you can responsibly manage different types of debt. Paying off your only line of installment credit reduces your credit mix and may ultimately decrease your credit scores.

Similarly, if you pay off a credit card debt and close the account entirely, your scores could drop. This is because your total available credit is lowered when you close a line of credit, which could result in a higher credit utilization ratio. Additionally, if the account you closed was your oldest line of credit, it could negatively impact the length of your credit history and cause a drop in your scores.

When will my credit scores improve after paying off my debts?

Paying off debt is more likely to help your credit scores than to hurt them. You are likely to see your credit scores improve after paying off debt unless the debt you repaid meets the unique criteria listed above.

How long after paying off debt will my credit scores change?

The three nationwide CRAs generally receive new information from your creditors and lenders every 30 to 45 days. If you’ve recently paid off a debt, it may take more than a month to see any changes in your credit scores.

You can receive free Equifax credit reports with a myEquifax account. You can also get free credit reports annually from the three nationwide consumer reporting agencies - Equifax, TransUnion and Experian - at AnnualCreditReport.com.

Should I always pay off my debt?

While in some cases your credit scores may dip slightly from paying off debt, that doesn’t mean you should ever ignore what you owe.

Generally speaking, the damage to your credit scores that may result from paying off debt is unlikely to be permanent. It’s always a good idea to keep up with your debt payments and repay what you owe. The long-term benefits to your credit scores and the ability to live debt-free are well worth it.

Why Credit Scores May Drop After Paying Off Debt  | Equifax (2024)

FAQs

Why Credit Scores May Drop After Paying Off Debt | Equifax? ›

It's possible that you could see your credit scores drop after fulfilling your payment obligations on a loan or credit card debt. Paying off debt might lower your credit scores if removing the debt affects certain factors like your credit mix, the length of your credit history or your credit utilization ratio.

Why does a credit score drop after paying off debt? ›

Lenders like to see a mix of both installment loans and revolving credit on your credit portfolio. So if you pay off a car loan and don't have any other installment loans, you might actually see that your credit score dropped because you now have only revolving debt.

What causes credit scores to drop? ›

Credit scores can drop due to a variety of reasons, including late or missed payments, changes to your credit utilization rate, a change in your credit mix, closing older accounts (which may shorten your length of credit history overall), or applying for new credit accounts.

Why is my credit score going down when I have no debt? ›

Various weighted factors mean that even with no credit, your credit score could still be low because the length of your credit history or credit mix, for example, could also be low.

Why did my credit card limit decrease after I paid it off? ›

Card issuers frequently change credit lines for a variety of reasons, which may or may not have anything to do with the way you handled the account. Lowering credit lines is simply a strategy to mitigate risk, and an issuer may take that action when necessary.

How does paying off a credit card affect your credit score? ›

Consistently paying off your credit card on time every month is one step toward improving your credit scores. However, credit scores are calculated at different times, so if your score is calculated on a day you have a high balance, this could affect your score even if you pay off the balance in full the next day.

How many points does your credit score go up after paying off debt? ›

If you're close to maxing out your credit cards, your credit score could jump 10 points or more when you pay off credit card balances completely. If you haven't used most of your available credit, you might only gain a few points when you pay off credit card debt. Yes, even if you pay off the cards entirely.

How to raise your credit score 200 points in 30 days? ›

How to Raise Your Credit Score by 200 Points
  1. Get More Credit Accounts.
  2. Pay Down High Credit Card Balances.
  3. Always Make On-Time Payments.
  4. Keep the Accounts that You Already Have.
  5. Dispute Incorrect Items on Your Credit Report.

How long does it take to rebuild credit after paying off debt? ›

It can take weeks or even days for you to notice a change in your credit score. If you have recently paid off a debt, wait for at least 30 to 45 days to see your credit score go up. Will it be beneficial for my credit score if I pay off a debt? Your payment history will not be removed after you pay off a debt.

Does paying off collections improve credit score? ›

For some credit scoring models, paying off collection accounts may improve credit scores. FICO® Score 9, FICO Score 10, VantageScore® 3.0 and VantageScore 4.0 credit scoring models penalize unpaid collection accounts. Paying off collection accounts may help improve these scores.

Why did my credit score drop 25 points for no reason? ›

Reasons why your credit score could have dropped include a missing or late payment, a recent application for new credit, running up a large credit card balance or closing a credit card.

Why did my credit score drop 40 points? ›

The most likely reasons are: your balances increased, you recently closed accounts, you applied for new lines of credit, or there is inaccurate or fraudulent information on your account. If your credit score dropped by 40 points, this is likely due to late payments that continue to compound on past-due bills.

Why did my credit score drop by 100 points? ›

For your credit score to drop 100 points at once, you're most likely talking about being 90 days late or more on a loan or credit card payment you're on the hook for. Believe it or not, a single late payment could cause damage in that ballpark, especially if your credit score is higher to begin with.

What is a good credit limit on a credit card? ›

If you're just starting out, a good credit limit for your first card might be around $1,000. If you have built up a solid credit history, a steady income and a good credit score, your credit limit may increase to $5,000 or $10,000 or more — plenty of credit to ensure you can purchase big ticket items.

How much should I spend if my credit limit is $2000? ›

What is a good credit utilization ratio? The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) recommends keeping your credit utilization ratio below 30%. So, if your only line of credit is a credit card with a $2,000 limit, that would mean keeping your balance below $600.

How to make your credit limit go up? ›

If you're looking for ways to improve your chances of getting an increased credit limit, focus on the following things:
  1. Maintain a good credit score. ...
  2. Reduce your outstanding debt. ...
  3. Include all sources of income. ...
  4. Avoid the need to open a second card. ...
  5. Earn more rewards. ...
  6. Low credit utilization.

How long does it take for your credit score to go up after paying off a car loan? ›

Whenever you make a major change to your credit history—including paying off a loan—your credit score may drop slightly. If you don't have any negative issues in your credit history, this drop should be temporary; your credit scores will rise again in a few months.

Can paying off collections raise your credit score? ›

For some credit scoring models, paying off collection accounts may improve credit scores. FICO® Score 9, FICO Score 10, VantageScore® 3.0 and VantageScore 4.0 credit scoring models penalize unpaid collection accounts. Paying off collection accounts may help improve these scores.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Aracelis Kilback

Last Updated:

Views: 5473

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (44 voted)

Reviews: 91% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Aracelis Kilback

Birthday: 1994-11-22

Address: Apt. 895 30151 Green Plain, Lake Mariela, RI 98141

Phone: +5992291857476

Job: Legal Officer

Hobby: LARPing, role-playing games, Slacklining, Reading, Inline skating, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Dance

Introduction: My name is Aracelis Kilback, I am a nice, gentle, agreeable, joyous, attractive, combative, gifted person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.