Making Sense Of Credit Card Fees
|
In addition to the APR (annual percentage rate) and the finance charges, most credit cards have a number of 'fees' associated with their use. Some fees are unavoidable with a particular card (like an annual fee or a program participation fee), while others are triggered by certain circumstances. The most common fees are listed below. To get a better idea of what your credit card may cost to use over the course of a year, check your card's terms and conditions and your user agreement to see which fees may apply to you.
Annual fee:
An annual fee is charged for the privilege of having the card, whether you ever use it or not. Many credit cards offer no annual fee and a low interest rate to their best customers, or to those with excellent credit. If you're trying to recover from a bout with bad credit, your only choice may be a card with a relatively high annual fee. In that case, look for one with the lowest APR you can get, and be careful to avoid triggering other fees.
Cash advance fee:
When you use your credit card to get a cash advance, there is often a cash advance fee. It may be a flat fee per cash advance (say $5, no matter how much cash you borrow), or a percentage of the amount advanced - 5%. This fee is in addition to interest that you will pay on the amount.
Balance-transfer fee
Usually, when you transfer the balance of one card to another, the credit card company will charge you a balance transfer fee. Like the cash advance fee, it may be a flat rate, or a percentage of the amount of the transfer.
Late-payment fee
If your payment is not received and posted by your credit card company after the due date, you will be charged a late payment fee. The late payment fee will be added to your credit card balance. In many cases, if you are late with a payment more than once, or a certain number of times within a specified period, your interest rate will also rise in addition to the late payment fee.Over-the-credit-limit fee:
If you go over your credit limit on your credit card, you will often be charged a flat fee in penalty.
Credit-limit-increase fee:
You usually must pay a credit limit increase fee if you request that your credit limit be raised.
Set-up fee:
When you open a new credit card account, the credit card company may charge a one-time setup fee which may be anything from $19 to $149.
Return-item fee:
This is essentially a bounced check fee. If you make a payment on your account by check, and the check is returned by your bank for non-sufficient funds, the credit card company may charge you a returned-check fee.
Other fees:
Depending on the credit card company, and the card offered, you may be liable for other fees, including fees for making payments by phone, for checking your account online, for establishing an online bill paying service or for providing other customer service. Be sure to read your credit card's terms and conditions to see what charges and fees you're liable for paying.
Joseph Kenny is the webmaster of the credit card comparison sites http://www.credit-cards-info.com/ and also http://www.creditcards121.com/
|
|
|
Practical Suggestions For Protecting Yourself From Identity Theft
It's no surprise that thousands of Americans are victimized by identity theft each year. Last year more than 9,000,000 people were victims of identity theft amounting to some $45 billion dollars.By the time the average person realizes they have become a victim of identity theft; it is much too late. By this point, the victim's financial stability and credit rating may be impacted significantly.What can you to to protect yourself from identity theft? Here are some useful suggestions for you...
- Place passwords on your credit card, bank, and phone accounts. Avoid using easily available information like your mother's maiden name, your birth date, the last four digits of your SSN or your phone number, or a series of consecutive numbers. <...(related: Credit)
Teaching Students To Keep Out Of Credit Card Debt - The Parents Role
Parents have the full responsibility for their children and their education. It is up to parents to teach their children what's right and what's wrong, how to conduct themselves as good citizens, how to cross the road safely and generally protect themselves from harm. In fact, up until the time that child is an adult, the parents have responsibilities in every part of that child's life, right up until the time they are a college student.T...(related: Credit)
Balance Transfers Can Help You Stop Putting Money Down The Drain!
As you probably know, interest rates are at all time low right now and if you aren't getting the best deal from your credit card company then they owe it to you to either lower your rate, or you owe it to yourself to find a better deal. You see, credit card companies need your business in order to succeed and ...(related: Credit)
Errors On Your Credit Report: What You Should Do
There are times when you may be turned down for credit and you do not understand why. According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act you are entitled to a free copy of your credit report if you have been denied credit because of negative items on your credit report within 60 days of the request for credit, if you are unemployed but looking for work, are on welfare, or believe that your credit report is incorrect because of fraud. You may also receive a copy of your credit report for a small fee at any time in which you want to review the information contain therein.If you dispute any of the information on your credit report, there are steps that you, the credit reporting agency and the information provider must take to have the information corrected or deleted form your report.1. You should contact the credit reporting agency...(related: Credit)
What You Need To Know About Interest Rates
For all people shop around for the best rate, there are few who have taken the time to sit down and add it all up. After all, why would you bother? The answer is that understanding just how interest rates work can help yo...(related: Credit)
Dont Fall For Credit Repair Scams
We've all seen the ads on television or in magazines, shouting, "Erase bad debt!" or "Remove negative entries from your credit report!" If you're a person suffering from a less-than-stellar credit rating, those headlines may seem like the answer to a prayer.The only problems is, those programs don't work, and to add insult to injury, you'll find yourself paying hefty fees to those companies, only to end up right where you started, or worse. Sometimes, what is couched as a credit repair program may actually be an attempt to steal your identity by gaining information about your social security number, bank accounts, and credit cards.Here's how the credit repair scam generally works:First, the company will contact the various credit ...(related: Credit)
How A Prepaid Debit Card Can Help You Rebuild Your Credit
Consumers today are up to their eyeballs in debt. And many people don't realize it until their good credit has been devastated.As a result, many credit repair agencies are popping up all over ...(related: Credit)
Rewards Cards: Are They Worth It?
Virtually all consumers will have a credit card at some point in their lives. Is this an understatement? Probably, as most consumers carry multiple credit cards. Selecting a credit card should not be something taken lightly; card companies are constantly looking for new consumers, but only after wisely comparing offers should you select a provider. Pick a company that will give to you a reasonable rate and one that incentivizes their program with some type of reward for using their card.So, how do rewards cards work? Almost without fail, rewards cards typically give consumers money back on their purchases [usually 1-2%] or allow you to accumulate points toward prizes or discounts on future purchases. If you charge $10,000. per year [not hard to ...(related: Credit)
Important Things To Know About Divorce And Credit
Joint debts remain joint debts.Both spouses signed a legally binding contract with the creditor, and a ...(related: Credit)
Rebuild Your Credit The Right Way The First Time
If you are one of the millions of people out there with bad credit you need to step up and start doing something to get yourself back into credits good graces. Having good credit is the only way to assure that you will get the best interest rates on any loans and credit cards that you apply for. If you have bad credit you may not even get approved, then what? If you applied for a loan it was probably for a good reason, if you don't get what on earth will you do?If you need to establish good credit here are some tips to help you succeed the first time out:Get a copy of your credit reportOnce you receive a copy of your credit report be sure to check it over carefully for any errors or omissions. If you see any at all, no matter how small they may seem, inform your creditors immediately...(related: Credit)
Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Your Credit Report
Your credit report is a very powerful report that essential controls what you can and cannot do in your life. Unfortunately many people aren't aware of what a credit report actually is and what information is contained on the report. This article breaks down what is contained on your credit report and tells you everything you always wanted to know about your credit report but were afraid to ask.Your credit report is nothing more then a very detailed snapshot of your financial history that is furnished to anyone supplying you credit from the credit bureau. There are three main credit bureaus that handle a majority of these credit report request. They are Experian, Equifax and Trans Union. Each of these organizations are private in nature and routinely furnish your credit information when asked to do so for a fee.Ge...(related: Credit)
How To Protect Yourself Against Credit Card Fraud
In the high tech world of today, credit card fraud is an ever increasing problem.By 2005 it is estimated that the online payment industry will capture $12.5 Billion in revenue. This is up over 20% from 2004.In the United Kindom alone, credit card fraud cost companies £504.8 Million in 2004.With so many people shopping and paying online it is no wonder that credit card fraud is on every online consumer's mind.There is no way to guarantee credit or credit card fraud will never happen to you. But there are a few steps you can take to make it more difficult for someone to capture your card or card numbers and minimize the possibility.Sign your cards as soon as they arrive.Carry your cards ...(related: Credit)
Credit Score: The Brightest Feather In Your Financial Cap
Credit scores are the most important aspect that determines your financial future. Carrying a good credit score is an asset and can pave your future towards greener pastures. On the other hand a negative marking on your credit report can be ruinous for your future dreams. However, "There Isn't Much anyone can do for those who will not Do Something for themselves." The same...(related: Credit)
site-map - Copyright © 2007 | Contact Webmaster | All Rights Reserved | Free Articles and Information | Credit