 TITLE: Will Closing a Credit Card Hurt Your Credit? CONTENT: How to Close a Credit Card Safely\n---------------------------------\nIf you've decided that it makes sense for you to cancel your credit card account, here are the steps to take so you have no issues:\n1.  If you have an outstanding balance, reach out to your credit card issuer and come up with a plan for paying it off. If at all possible, pay off the card before canceling.\n2.  If it's a rewards credit card, redeem any outstanding rewards so they don't go to waste.\n3.  Contact customer support and let them know you'd like to close the account, and ask that they confirm it with a notice in writing. Ask that it be noted that the account was closed at your request.\n4.  Follow up with a short letter to confirm your cancelation in writing. In this letter, you should put your name, phone number, address, credit card account number and any details about your call with customer service. Make sure to note that you want the account closed at your request, and keep a copy on file just in case. It can take a few weeks for your request to be processed, but if you haven't received a confirmation letter within a month, call your credit card issuer to follow up.\n5.  If the credit card is connected to any automatic payments, such as your cell phone bill or Spotify account, go through those accounts and update your payment information to another option so you don't accidentally miss any payments.\n6.  If you have any authorized users on your credit card account, let them know that you are closing the account and ask them to destroy their card.\n7.  Now it's your turn to properly destroy your credit card. If your shredder is capable of shredding cards, put it through that. If not, cut up the card thoroughly, and consider putting pieces of it in different trash bags around your home, which would make it harder for a potential thief to find and piece together your credit card information. END