Last Updated: November 15, 2023
4 min read
Using your credit card
Key points about: Late credit card payments
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A late credit card payment could result in late fees, a penalty APR, and a negative impact on your credit score.
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You can set up payment alerts to help you remember to pay by your due date.
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Budgeting is a good way to ensure that you have the funds to cover your credit card payment.
When a credit card is past due, it means that you’ve failed to pay your card’s minimum payment due amount by its due date. Late payments can come with certain consequences, including late fees, interest accrued on the credit card balance, and potential negative impacts to your credit score. However, there are numerous ways to avoid missing your due date in the first place, and things you can do if you have missed a monthly payment. Make sure you understand what happens when you miss a credit card payment and that you’re well-versed on how to use your credit card responsibly.
1. What happens when you miss a credit card payment
When a credit card is past due, the potential penalties range from a higher interest rate to late fees to credit score impacts. Therein lies the importance of making sure you pay at least the minimum amount on your card on time every month.
Late fee
You might see a late payment fee added to your credit card bill if you missed a payment. Credit card late fees can range in amount, so check your credit card agreement to learn how much a late payment will cost you.
Penalty APR
Credit cards come with either a fixed Annual Percentage Rate (APR) or a variable APR. Either type can adjust to a higher APR if you miss a payment, though some cards don’t use a penalty APR. If your credit card issuer does increase your APR after a missed payment, it means that interest will accumulate on the revolving balance at a higher rate. This all depends on what terms are associated with your credit card, and not all creditors will change your APR for paying late. Be sure to check your terms and conditions and make sure you understand the details.
Credit score impact
Your credit score may also be affected if your credit card account is past due. On-time monthly payments are one crucial component of credit scores. When payments are reported as late from your credit card to the credit bureaus, it can harm your overall score. Your credit score is used by credit card issuers, banks, and other lenders to determine your creditworthiness. Therefore, a good credit score can be crucial if you want to apply for loans or credit cards in the future.
If your due date has passed, still do your best to make the payment as soon as possible. Some cards provide a grace period before charging a late fee. Also, a missed payment may be recorded on your credit report and could remain there for up to seven years. Your card’s terms and conditions outline all of the associated consequences of missing your due date—and they’ll vary for every card. You can always double-check this information if you’re ever unsure of late payment repercussions.
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2. How to avoid missing your payment
There are several tools available that make paying your credit card on time a breeze.
Know Your Due Date
Your due date on a given card is usually the same every month. Knowing that date is the first step to avoiding missed payments. You can find your credit card’s due date on your statement. Alternatively, you can always log on to your issuer’s online account center and find your statement due date there.
Payment Alerts
Most credit cards allow customers to opt in to receive text or email alerts for when the payment is due. Odds are you regularly check your phone and email, so you’ll at least know that a payment due date is coming up. Actually making the payment is still your responsibility.
Automated Payments
Setting up automated payments means never having to think about your due date. This option can help you avoid missing a payment—assuming the associated bank account has enough cash to cover the automatic payment.
Did you know?
If you have a Discover® Card, you can use the Discover DirectPay tool to set up automatic payments. With DirectPay, Discover will automatically withdraw any amount you specify monthly from your chosen bank account. Pulling automated payments from an account that can’t cover payment can actually put you in a worse situation than where you started. (Imagine: your credit card is past due, and the bank charges you an overdraft fee.) That’s why it’s important—if you decide to use automated payments—to ensure your bank account always has enough funds to cover your bill.
3. Focus on smart spending
Sometimes missing a credit card payment isn’t because you forgot the date – it could be due to struggles with paying that bill. Perhaps you have a few bills around the same date, and your paycheck comes afterward, or you’ve had some larger purchases come up. One frequently-cited tip is to spend what you can afford to pay back each month to avoid building up credit card debt month-to-month, but it bears repeating.
A helpful place to start is deciding whether a budget can help you. Then, get a quick refresher on discretionary purchases (luxuries that you want) versus necessary costs (your basic needs). While this isn’t a fun task, try being brutally honest about essentials such as housing, transportation, and food. Many other purchases might fall into the discretionary category instead. Cutting back may not have to last forever–just until you get back on track and can pay back what you charge each month.
Either way, this isn’t the end of the road. The best approach is to contact your credit card customer service team to discuss it. They may be able to offer a payment program that can fit into your financial situation.
By knowing your credit card’s due date, arranging to make your payments on time every time, and knowing when to reach out to your credit card company, you can avoid the adverse effects of a late credit card payment.
