How to Re-Open a Closed Credit Card Account

When you (or your creditor) close your credit card account it is usually a final action. The creditor removes the available line of credit and reports the account as closed to credit bureaus. Closing the account can negatively affect your credit score. If so, in some cases, you may have success in getting the credit card company to re-open the account.

Instructions

1. Determine your account status before it was closed to gauge your chances of getting it re-opened. For instance, if you had a zero balance and on-time payment history, your chances are better than if the creditor closed the account due to non-payment. If you had a leftover balance after the card was closed the representative will likely want to see continued on-time payments.

2. Call your credit card company within a month after the account closure --- the sooner you make contact the better. Provide your previous account number so that the representative can pull up the information to review the account. If the representative cannot retrieve the closed account on his system, you must apply for a new one.

3. Ask the representative to evaluate your previous account to have it re-opened. Again, the creditor considers your past payment history during the evaluation. Answer any additional questions posed by the representative as a condition of re-opening the account. You may have to answer questions regarding your latest income and also submit to a new credit check.

4. Determine the credit limit for the newly re-opened account if the representative approves your request. You could receive the same limit or an adjusted one depending on the new information you provide.

Tips & Warnings

• If the account was closed due to inactivity, the lender may require you to maintain active usage as a condition of re-opening the account.

References

• The Better Credit Blog; My Fourth Mistake: I Closed Credit Card Accounts; Nov 18, 2007
• Frugal Dad; Credit Card Closed My Account