Which is worse for credit score: requesting the closure of a retail card or letting it close due to inactivity?

Question

I applied and was approved for a TD Retail Card Services store credit card about two weeks ago but ultimately did not use it for my purchase. The card is currently sitting at $0 balance, and I do not intend to use it at any point in the future.

Right now, my options are:

1. Request the closure of the card, which will be reported to the credit bureaus as closed at the customer’s request.
2. TD Retail Card Services will close it automatically after 18-24 months of non-usage.

My credit score for all three bureaus is currently in the 790-800 range, and my overall credit usage hovers around 0-1% as I pay off all charges immediately. Which option for the unwanted card will result in the least impact to my score?

Answer 1

Credit Score companies do not publish their specific methods and algorithms so it's difficult to answer this with high confidence.

I'm guessing that it will make little difference. If any, #1 would be a little better since it closes the card earlier and it's credit limit will not be considered "potential debt" anymore.

My credit score for all three bureaus is currently in the 790-800 range ...

That sounds great, so why do you care? Banks make a big deal about the credit score, but it's primarily for their benefits, not yours. They intentionally exaggerate the importance of it: as long as you pay your bills on time and don't take on an disproportional amount of debt, you'll be fine.