 TITLE: What to Do Once You Pay Off Your Car CONTENT: Check Your Credit Report\n------------------------\nIt may seem counterintuitive, but credit scores can sometimes decrease when you pay off a loan. Checking your credit reports will give you an idea of what's going on with your scores, and will also give you the chance to make sure all your car loan information is accurate.\nIf your credit scores went down as a result of paying off the loan, it may have happened for a couple reasons:\n*   **It was your only account with a low balance.** If all of your other credit accounts carry high balances, paying off your car loan could negatively impact your scores.\n*   **It was your only installment account.** Credit mix is a factor in your credit scores, and if you paid off your only installment loan when you paid off your car, this could cause your scores to drop.\nThere are many other reasons (unrelated to paying off your car) your score could have gone down, and checking your credit reports should help you understand why. You can get a free credit report from Experian to see what's in your file. END