Should I close a credit card after I pay it off?

Usually no – keeping a paid-off card open generally helps your credit. Closing it can hurt two ways: it lowers your total available credit, which raises your utilization ratio (a major score factor), and over time it can shorten your average account age. So if the card has no annual fee, leaving it open and using it occasionally for a small recurring charge keeps it active and working for you. Consider closing only when there's a real cost or risk: a hefty annual fee that outweighs the benefits, a tempting spending trigger you can't control, or a card tied to a relationship you want to sever. If you do close one, pay down other balances first to soften the utilization hit. See how an open card affects your numbers with wealthserene.com/tools/utilization-optimizer.