[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I just checked my credit report and it has this information about that collections account:

COLLECTION ACCOUNTS:
Count: 1
Balance: $400.00
Current: 0
Delinquent 0
Other 0

Account Name: XXXXXXXXXX
Account Number: XXXXXXXXXX
Acct Type: Collection Department / Agency / Attorney
Acct Status: Closed
Monthly Payment:
Date Open: 4/1/2004
Balance: $400.00
Terms: 1 Month
High Balance:
Limit:
Past Due: $400.00
Payment Status: Seriously past due date / assigned to attorney, collection agency, or credit grantor's internal collection department


Does all of this mean that I don't have to worry about them coming after me, since the account is closed?

[/ QUOTE ]

no it means they won't extend service to you.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ok what if I don't care about that? Let's say that I have a girlfriend who will gladly put her name on any future Time Warner accounts that I need. Then I don't need to pay the $400, right? They won't come after me?

What I'm really wondering though is if this is hurting my credit score. Experian says that I have a credit score of 548 which they classify as "very poor", the worst category. In my short credit history, I have this collections account, and one late credit card payment(which was only because I lost the bill and forgot about it, but I paid it promptly afterward). Is the collections account hurting my credit score even though it is now closed?