Why did my credit score drop after student loans were removed?

Asked by: Miss Kathleen Klocko MD  |  Last update: January 26, 2026
Score: 4.8/5 (38 votes)

Because credit scoring models tend to favor active accounts, once a student loan account is paid and closed, you may see a drop in your credit score, due to the resulting decrease in average age of your active credit accounts. However, this drop is typically temporary.

Why does my credit score drop after taking out student loans?

Credit length

That means that after your student loans are paid off, the length of your credit history may shorten and your average account age could go down. This could impact your credit score, but keep in mind that payment history and amounts owed are two of the biggest factors that contribute to your score.

Why did my credit score drop when an account was removed?

Your credit score dropped because closing the account (which you said was old) lowered your average length of credit history, which is one of the factors that contributes pretty heavily to your credit score.

Will my credit score go down if my student loans are forgiven?

If your federal student loans are forgiven, you could get a refund, and you might see your credit score dip.

What happens when student loans are removed from credit report?

So even if your loans no longer show in your credit history, you still owe your loans. They didn't go away. And that means the U.S. Department of Education can still garnish your wages, take your tax refund, and offset your Social Security Benefits.

Why Your Credit Score DROPPED After Paying Off Debt!

32 related questions found

What happens when student loans are forgiven?

If you qualify for forgiveness, cancellation, or discharge of the full amount of your loan, you won't have to make any more payments on that loan. If you qualify for forgiveness, cancellation, or discharge of a part of your loan, you'll need to pay back the remaining balance.

What is the 7 year rule for student loans?

Both federal and private student loans fall off your credit report about seven years after your last payment or date of default. You default after nine months of nonpayment for federal student loans, and you're not in deferment or forbearance.

What happens to your credit when student loans are discharged?

you no longer have further obligation to repay the loan, you will receive a reimbursement of payments made voluntarily or through forced collection, and. the discharge will be reported to credit bureaus to delete any adverse credit history associated with the loan.

Does debt forgiveness ruin your credit?

The short answer is yes, credit card debt forgiveness can negatively affect your credit score. However, the impact depends on various factors, including your current credit score and the specifics of your debt settlement agreement.

What are the drawbacks of student loan forgiveness?

  • Con 1: Student loan forgiveness is an abuse of the loan system. ...
  • Con 2: Student loan debt forgiveness would disproportionately help rich or more financially secure college graduates. ...
  • Con 3: Discharging student loan debt would be only a temporary bandage for the much larger problem of inflated college costs.

Why did my credit score drop when a hard inquiry was removed?

In most cases, hard inquiries have very little if any impact on your credit scores—and they have no effect after one year from the date the inquiry was made. So when a hard inquiry is removed from your credit reports, your scores may not improve much—or see any movement at all.

Why did my credit go down when a collection was removed?

Why might my credit scores drop after paying off debts? Paying off debt might lower your credit scores if removing the debt affects certain factors such as your credit mix, the length of your credit history or your credit utilization ratio.

Is 700 a good credit score?

A 700 credit score is considered a good score on the most common credit score range, which runs from 300 to 850. How does your score compare with others? You're within the good credit score range, which runs from 690 to 719.

Do student loans ruin your credit?

If you make your monthly payments on time, student loan debt won't necessarily harm your credit score. On the other hand, if you are late on payments (considered "delinquent"), in default (late on payments for 270+ days) or see your debt go to collections, this can cause your credit score to drop.

How to get an 800 credit score?

Making on-time payments to creditors, keeping your credit utilization low, having a long credit history, maintaining a good mix of credit types, and occasionally applying for new credit lines are the factors that can get you into the 800 credit score club.

Why did my student loans disappear?

If your student loan balance is suddenly showing zero, some of the many reasons could be: Your federal student aid or private student loans were forgiven. You've completed one of the student loan forgiveness programs. You qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), or.

Will my credit score go up if my student loans are forgiven?

In some cases, it might even hurt your score. Borrowers who made student loan payments on time and who get the full amount of their loans forgiven could see a slight bump in their credit scores, according to Martin Lynch, director of education at Cambridge Credit Counseling.

What are the dangers of debt forgiveness?

It could cause long-term damage to your credit

Debt forgiveness programs almost always come with a significant impact on your credit score. When you stop making payments to your creditors while the settlement process is ongoing, your accounts will become delinquent, which will be reported to credit bureaus.

How long does forgiven debt stay on credit report?

The negative impact of debt forgiveness on your credit score can last for up to seven years. But, that impact may be worthwhile if you're looking for an alternative to bankruptcy or are otherwise in need of substantial relief from credit card debt.

Why did my credit score go down after paying off my student loan?

When paying off student loans, you could be closing some of your oldest accounts, and your average account age could go down. Both of these factors can negatively impact your credit score.

Will I get a refund if my student loans are forgiven?

If you qualify for student loan forgiveness or discharge in full, and have applied if necessary, you will get a notification that you no longer need to make payments. In some cases, you may even get a refund, depending on the program you applied under.

What happens when a student loan is written off?

A write-off means you will never have to repay the loan. But you can't get more federal student aid (loans or Pell Grants) to pay for college after a write-off. To get more federal student aid, you would need to ask to have your loan restored.

What happens if you never pay off student loans?

If you default on your student loan, that status will be reported to national credit reporting agencies. This reporting may damage your credit rating and future borrowing ability. Also, the government can collect on your loans by taking funds from your wages, tax refunds, and other government payments.

At what age do student loans get written off?

At what age do student loans get written off? There is no specific age when students get their loans written off in the United States, but federal undergraduate loans are forgiven after 20 years, and federal graduate school loans are forgiven after 25 years.