How a senior citizen can have no credit history

Dear DOR,

In order to have a “credit bureau file” or credit history you must use credit. Because you have no credit agreements, and have not had for some time, your credit history has essentially disappeared.

A credit history is created when you first open a credit account. That history is maintained as long as you have open credit accounts, and even for some time after you close accounts.

For example, an open, current account will remain on your credit report indefinitely. When you close or pay off an account that has no negative history, it will remain in your credit history for 10 years.

On the other hand, negative information is deleted seven years from the original delinquency date, which is the first date the negative information is reported to Experian. If you close an account that has negative information in the history, it will be deleted seven years from the original delinquency date. An account that has been charged off and any collection accounts also will be deleted seven years from the original delinquency date.

I am assuming that the mortgages you mention for the homes you own were paid many years ago. If so, those accounts have been deleted from your credit history. Also, in the past, it was not unusual for mortgage companies to decline to report their data. Because you have no current credit accounts, there is nothing to report on your credit history, so you have no credit file.

Taxes and utility bills are not reported to Experian, so they do not cause you to have a credit report.

The only way to establish a credit history is to open a new credit account. When it is reported to Experian, a new credit history will be established for you.

Thanks for asking.