The End User License Agreement and Terms of Service: These are two vital documents that most of us gloss over while reading. It's not we don't care we sign, but the helplessness of being unable to do anything about it that causes people to quickly hit "agree". Next thing you know, you're roped into an extensive contract that can be horribly inconvenient and even sometimes expensive. 

At one time, America Online (AOL) was the premier Internet Service Provider and household name. Their sample CDs offering hundreds of hours of access to the service were ubiquitous during the dial-up era, although most of them ended up in the trash or as coasters. Some people have left their AOL accounts active, passively paying for email, security, or other add-ons that the consumer may not want anymore. CancelWizard has worked with consumers who had unused accounts that had been open and automatically billed for over a decade! This example just highlights how important it is to keep on top of any charges and make sure you're only keeping subscriptions (re-bills) you want.

If you need some guidance on where to start or what to do to cancel your unwanted AOL account, read on... but please know that these won't substitute Terms of Service or other updated company protocol.

What You'll Need:

The easiest way to cancel the service is through the Internet, either through a mobile device or a computer. You will need the username, password, and the answer to the security question for access to the account. Canceling through the phone is possible, but it is not recommended due to the potential for "customer retention" agents to make it far more difficult than the automated online version. On the other hand, you may want to speak with an agent if you have particular concerns or questions.

Steps to Cancel AOL:

Note: This process will completely remove the account. It is possible to cancel the paid subscription and retain your email address.

1. Login to the AOL Account.
2. Once you are logged in, click on the section that reads "Manage My Subscriptions". This is toward the top of the page and below the main navigation.
3. Find the Change My Plan link on this page. It should be under the first block of text, and you will see a bidirectional arrow beside it.
4. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and look for the link labeled "Cancel AOL".
5. You will see a long list of things AOL really wants you to consider before canceling. Ignore this and find the drop-down box asking you to provide a reason for the cancelation. Select the appropriate response, and then the large, orange "Cancel AOL" button will finalize the process.

If for some reason the account still exists after following these steps, contact CancelWizard to take care of it for you!