Length of Credit History
Length of credit history, or credit age, measures how long accounts have been open — including the oldest account and the average age of all accounts. Longer histories generally support higher credit scores.
Why it matters in credit repair
Credit age explains why closing an old card or opening several new accounts before a mortgage can lower a score. Accurate reporting of open dates matters, and mis-dated accounts may be disputable.
How it appears on a credit report
It is derived from the open dates on each tradeline rather than shown as a single field.
Example
A consumer closes their oldest card and later sees a score dip as the average age of accounts effectively shortens over time.
Common misunderstanding
Consumers think closing unused cards always helps. It can reduce available credit and, over time, shorten reported history.
Related terms
See where your file stands
Pinnacle's free credit diagnosis returns a written verdict within 48 hours.
Pinnacle Credit Repair does not guarantee the removal of accurate, timely, and verifiable information. Results vary based on the facts of each credit file, creditor responses, bureau investigations, documentation, and applicable law.
Explore the Pinnacle resource library
All forensic answers · Methodology reports · Documented results
Comparisons: Pinnacle vs Lexington Law · Pinnacle vs Credit Saint · Pinnacle vs Rapid Rescore