should i close a non active credit card account?

[k374]

It depends. If your total balances are going to be below 10% of your new credit limit then you can safely cancel any credit cards without hurting your score because credit utilization of 0-10% is in the same tier. I recently closed 9 open accounts and my credit score was unchanged, but I don't have any balances so my debt to credit limit ratio was unaffected by closing accounts.

It is always a GOOD idea to close accounts that you don't use due to the possibility of identity theft. If you've never been in an identity theft situation then you will not begin to imagine how much of a nightmare it can possibly be.

[cohdane]

DON'T touch that card till after you buy. Leave it alone. Mortgage lenders are incredibly picky about FICO's right now and closing that unused account will ding your score. Even a ding is bad in this economy.

[donsabi]

Keep it, but don't use it. Another criteria for credit scores is your amount of available credit compared to how much you are actually using.
Don

[dad2jules]

Keep the cards open- you will not have any currently open credit which will affect your score. You also have to use the crads to show a track record of responsible use of credit. Use each card each month for some thing you wouls normally pay cash for- tank of gas, or a weeks worth of groceries. Go home and put the money in a envellope to pay the bill. If you don;t use the crads it reports to the credit bureaus as no activity. If you charge anything it shows activity and a positive payment history. The more on time payments you make the higher your score.