Information on Paying Off Credit Card Debt and Credit Score

READER QUESTION

We have recently paid off some 30K in credit card debt. How long will it take to effect (positively) our credit report?

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Bills.com Resident Expert
Jan 13, 2012
BILL'S ANSWER

I can tell you, the typical credit reporting cycle is 90 days, or quarterly -- so even if they update your record within 14 days, it is likely that it will not show up on your credit report until the next cycle (or several months in the future). There's quite a bit of information on credit reporting and credit reports on the Bills.com Credit Report page. Many of the larger banks and finance companies report updated information to the credit bureaus every month. However, some smaller financiers only report on a quarterly basis.

As to how it will affect your score positively, it is important to understand how your credit score is calculated. Your credit rating is calculated based on several variables, including:

1) Payment history, which counts for approximately 35% of your score, is the most heavily weighted factor used in calculating your credit score. Consistently paying your bills on time has a positive influence on your score, while late or missed payments will hurt you in this area. If you have delinquent payments, the older the delinquency the less the negative impact on your score will be. Collection accounts and bankruptcy filings are also taken into consideration when analyzing your payment history.

2) Total debt and total available credit, which counts for about 30%. This section looks at how much debt you have compared to the total available credit on your accounts. If all of your accounts are maxed-out, you will be considered a poor credit risk, because it appears that you are struggling to pay off the debt you have already incurred. If your account balances are relatively low compared to your available credit, this part of the risk analysis should help your overall credit score. The score calculation also looks at these two factors independently. Having too much available credit, whether you have used it or not, could hurt your credit score, as statistical studies have shown that people with excessive amounts of available credit are a higher credit risk. Unfortunately, the bureaus do not define exactly what they consider excessive, so best tip is to use credit conservatively and to keep your debt to credit limit ratio low.

3) Length of positive credit history, which counts for about 15%. The longer you maintain accounts in good standing, the better your score will be. This shows that you are able to make a long-term commitment to a creditor and are consistently responsible about making your payments.

4) Mix of types of credit, which counts for approximately 10%. Having several different types of credit, such a credit cards, consumer loans, and secured debt, will have a positive influence on your credit score. Having too much of one type of credit can have a negative impact.

5) The number of new credit applications you have completed recently, which accounts for about 10% of your score. Applying for too much new credit in a short time period makes indicates that you could be credit risk, as you may be desperately trying to keep your head above water. The models make an exception for people who are shopping around for a loan, so if you are simply applying to see who can give you the best rate on a new loan, you need not worry too much about damaging your credit score.

If you would like to learn more about credit reports, credit scoring, and what it means to you, I encourage you to explore the wealth of material offered on the Bills.com Credit page.

I hope this information helps you Find. Learn. Save.

Best,

Bill

www.bills.com

Comments (8)


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Jessie R.
Merrill, MI  |  May 05, 2011
My husband and I are trying to rebuild our credit, and we have paid down a lot, and still have some to go as far as credit card debt. We took out a small ($500) credit card that has no interest for 18 months. I am paying more than the minimum payment to get it paid off faster, but I was wondering how long we would have to have the account open for it to help our credit. I have heard that paying off cards too early in some cases doesn't do anything at all to help it. We don't have much debt anymore, but our score is still a little low. Someone told me to try to keep it open for at least 6 months before paying it off. Just not sure!
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Bills.com
May 06, 2011
Think of a credit score as a diva with a long memory: It takes only one wrong move to send a credit score or diva into a tizzy. To rebuild a score takes months or years of careful attention.

Do not close the account! If you feel tempted to abuse the account, then either cut up the card or stick the card in a container of water and put it in the freezer. If you are not an account abuser, then use the account once ever three months or so for a small purchase, and then pay-off the balance in two months.

One new account (like one bouquet of flowers for a diva) is not going to rebuild your score alone. It takes time, and a variety of new accounts — such as a department store account, a gasoline charge card, a vehicle loan, or a student loan — to broaden your history. A diversity of strong accounts will boost your credit score, much like a variety of gifts will satisfy a moody diva.
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Nel G.
Evans, CO  |  May 19, 2011
My husband and I recently paid off several credit cards to help repair our credit score, my question is; should I dispute the credit card balances to the bureau right away or wait 30 days or ???
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Bills.com
May 19, 2011
Take your time. If the consumer credit reporting agencies (the credit bureaus) believe your disputes are frivolous, they can ignore them.
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Bills.com
July 22, 2009
Very good advice Kim. And you are right, that sometimes keeping accounts open can help your credit score since Credit Utilization is a factor in your score as well as length of Credit History. Thanks for sharing! Bill
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Kim .
July 22, 2009
Pay off as many cards as you can, but don't close out the accounts! I thought that closing empty accounts would be the best thing for my credit, since it would make sense that the less credit you have, the less you can spend, but it's just the opposite. A mortgage banker told me that closing out accounts actually hurts your credit. The goal is to have lots of "available" credit, but to not use much of it. So keep those empty accounts open -- just put the cards away so you're not tempted to charge them up again!
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Bills.com
April 27, 2009
Paying down credit card debt will help with your debt to income ratio. There is no quickfix to your problem. You state that you are going to settle some of your bills, if that is the case then you will have to wait till your credit improves before you can apply for a mortgage. Once you pay these accounts it may take anywhere from 30-90 days for your report to be updated. Your only option is to check your credit report regularly.
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Evie H.
April 26, 2009
I have R-1's, I-1's, and M 1's on all of my accounts. I have a lot of credit cards, and balances are high. I have several questions for you - I will be paying all of these down to zero balance or close to it. My credit score is in the low to mid 600's. Will paying these cards increase my qualification for a mortgage? How can I prove to the Mortgage companies that I have paid these off if it takes 90 days to show on my credit report? Is it best to close some of these accounts since so many accounts are effecting my credit score? Do I pay thse totally off or down to $50.00 for the debt ratio? Can I request Credit Bureaus to update once I pay off debt right away in order to qualify for a better mortgage rate? I plan on putting 20% down on a house. I am a Hurricane Ike victim and my house was destroyed by the Hurricane. I will use the Settlement to pay off all debt. I am confused as to what to pay off, whether I should close accounts or keep a small balance and what time frames I will need to ensure the credit score moves up. Your help would be most appreciated.
Thanks for your feedback!

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