Late last year, I paid off a student loan—not with lottery winnings or a flashy promotion, just consistent payments over time. A quiet milestone, sure, but one that felt like an upward step toward financial freedom. Then, two days later, I got the alert: my credit score had plummeted. Dozens of points gone overnight. The reason? I had closed out a loan. No missed payments. No defaults. Just a responsible, completed obligation. And somehow, I was penalized for it.