Having the ability to change your credit card due date can help you better align credit card and bill payments with each other and your paychecks, in turn making it easier to complete monthly payments on time.
Many credit card issuers allow cardholders to move their due date. There are many reasons why you might want to move your credit card payment date and the benefits to moving a due date are going to be uniquely different to each person. In this guide we will break down the details of changing your credit card payment deadline.
Editor’s Note: A big factor in determining your credit score is your credit card utilization rate. Be sure to check out our credit card utilization guide where we break down what this rate is and how it impacts your score .
What’s a Credit Card Deadline?
A credit card due date or deadline is the specific date when you must pay at least the minimum payment for a billing cycle. Your billing cycle usually ranges from 27 to 31 days, depending on the card issuer.
Once the billing cycle ends, your due date for that period typically arrives 21 to 25 days after the cycle closes. The law says your credit card due date has to fall on the same day every month.
Reasons To Change Your Credit Card Deadline
- It doesn’t coincide with your pay dates: Putting most of your expenses on your credit card to earn maximum rewards is a smart idea, but probably results in a pretty big bill by the time the month is up – a bill that requires a significant chunk of your paycheck to cover. If you’re habitually paying late because you’re waiting for a paycheck to roll in, consider moving your bill’s due date so that it better aligns with your pay schedule.
- It comes at the same time as lots of other big bills: Unlike other bills, like your rent, you don’t have to pay your credit card bill in full. But to avoid costly interest charges, you definitely should. Unfortunately, though, some people opt to push off paying their credit card bills in favor of others when they’re running low on cash If your credit card bill is due around the same time as your other big bills, it might be worthwhile to consider changing it.
How to Reset Your Due Date
Most credit card companies will let you change your due dates, but the date depends entirely on the company.
Changing your due date doesn’t mean you get to skip a payment, but there are other benefits that can arise out of this small change. Here are ways you can change a credit card due date:
- Online/mobile app: Some companies allow changeovers online web browsers. Others let you do it on mobile apps.
- Phone: A quick call to your card issuer’s customer service line can quickly change a billing date.
Most card companies won’t let you change your due date to the 29th, 30th or 31st because not all months have these dates. Keep in mind that by changing your deadline, you might incur extra interest charges on any balances that you carry over. That’s due to a change in the number of days in your new billing cycle. This will only happen once, however, and your billing cycle will return to normal when the new period begins.
What to Expect After the Change
It could take a couple of billing cycles for your new due date to be effective. Continue to pay close attention to the payment due date on your billing statement so your payments are on time. Once your due date change becomes effective, that’s the due date you’ll have each month going forward.
Your first statement after you change your payment due date may have a higher finance charge if changing your due date makes your billing cycle longer for that month. Don’t worry. Your finance charge and minimum payment will return to more typical amounts on your next billing statement.
What to Do If You Can’t Change Your Due Date
If your credit card company doesn’t allow you to change your due date, you still have other options. You just have to take matters into your own hands.
Let’s say you get paid on the 1st and 15th and you have multiple bills due on the first of the month: rent, car payment and credit cards. Instead of making a payment for a credit card bill that’s inconveniently due on the 1st, pay for your bill ahead of time — ideally, as soon as you get paid on the 15th.
And if you don’t get paid on the 15th, you can set a fixed date in your calendar that works best for you. That way, you have enough time that your payments at the beginning of the month are more manageable.
Just remember not to pay too early. If you do, your payment could end up in the wrong billing cycle (and with a missed payment). Carefully review your billing cycle and due date and determine when it makes sense to make your payment and that you’re doing so in the proper time frame.
Conclusion
If you are struggling to meet your credit card payment deadlines, it might be wise to change the due date. A number of companies make this process simple, but not all of them will be flexible.
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