Answered By Mike Killian: The answer to your question will vary depending on
your creditor. Therefore the exact answer is probably written on your contract
or available by contacting your creditor. Keep in mind, however, that in this
economic crunch, creditors do not want to carry any more dead weight than they
have to. These days "lean and mean" is the credit card companies' mantra--which
is unfortunate for the consumer, because the card companies are far more ready
to declare a card inactive than they would be in better economic times. As a general rule, I would say it's best to use your cards once very six months.
[Let CardRatings.com help you find the right cash back credit card for you.]If you are worried that a closed account will negatively affect your credit
score, you shouldn't. There are a few general guidelines to keep in mind
regarding how your score is calculated. First of all, 60 percent of your credit
score is based on on-time payment history and the amount of credit you carry.
The length of your credit history affects another 15 percent. My point is that
paying on-time is by far a more important factor in determining your credit
score than having an account closed. Additionally, an account that gets closed
through inactivity can be re-opened by simply calling the creditor.