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Should I Change My Credit Card Due Date?

Q: Why should you change your credit card due date?

Since payment history typically makes up 35 percent of your FICO® Score1, you never want to miss a credit card bill . For peace of mind, you may want to plan to pay your credit card bill around the time your paycheck comes in. Say you get paid on the first and fifteenth of every month, you might choose to schedule payment on or immediately after either date. That way you know the money will be in your account and you can prioritize paying on time. This also lets you stagger deadlines for other expenses if you’re paid twice a month. For example, if other bills—phone, internet, car insurance, etc.—are all due around the time you get your first monthly paycheck (say, the first of the month), you may be able to move your credit card due date closer to your second one (maybe around the fifteenth or shortly thereafter).

Q: What if you can’t change your credit card due date?

If you can’t change your due date, all is not lost. While it may be easier to pay on time by moving your due date, there are smart budgeting techniques that may also help. If you have a credit card bill that’s due a week or more away from a paycheck, consider making your payment a week or two before your statement due date when you have the funds available. Or, you might consider setting up a separate bank account where you automatically transfer your credit card’s minimum payment after your paycheck lands in your account. This can help prevent you from using those funds for anything else. You can typically do this online and could be one solution if you’re on a tight budget.

3 min read

Last Updated: November 13, 2024

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Key Takeaways

You may want to change your credit card due date so you can plan to pay your bill around when a paycheck comes in.
A credit card due date change can also help you stagger your expenses.
The easiest way to change a credit card due date is to call your issuer and ask.

Changing your credit card due date can help you align your credit card bill with other bills as well as the timing of your paychecks, making it easier to pay your monthly bills on time.

Maybe your original credit card due date is the day before payday when your account is low. Or maybe it falls on the same date as three or four of your other bills and you’d prefer to stagger it. Whatever the reason, if you think you’d benefit from a change to your credit card due date, know that you may not always be stuck with the payment deadlines you’re given from the credit card issuer. Some allow cardmembers to change their credit card due date so they can better manage their finances.

Why should you change your credit card due date?

If your cash-flow or pay schedule makes it difficult to pay your credit card bill on time, changing the due date could help.

For peace of mind, you may want to plan on paying your credit card bill around the time your paycheck comes in. It’s never a good idea to miss a credit card bill, since payment history typically makes up 35% of your credit score.

Say your payday is on the first and fifteenth of every month. You might choose to schedule your credit card payment on or immediately after either date. That way you can feel confident that you have enough money in your account and can prioritize paying on time.

This also lets you stagger deadlines for other expenses if you’re paid twice a month. For example, if other bills—phone, internet, car insurance, etc.—are all due around the time you get your first monthly paycheck (say, the first of the month), you may be able to move your credit card due date closer to your second one (maybe around the fifteenth).

How do you change your due date?

If your credit card issuer allows you to change your due date, they may provide a few different methods for your convenience.

Did you know?

The easiest way to change your credit card due date is to simply call your issuer and ask. You can find your issuer’s customer service phone number on the back of your credit card. Another way might be logging into your online account and submitting a request.

While not all issuers allow you to move this date, it’s still worth asking if you think moving the payment due date will help you be able to pay on time.

What if you can’t change your credit card due date?

If you can’t change your due date, there are smart budgeting techniques that may also help.

If you have a credit card bill that’s due a week or more away from a paycheck, consider making your payment a week or two before your credit card statement date when you have the funds available. You might also consider setting up a separate bank account where you automatically transfer your credit card’s minimum payment after your paycheck lands in your account. This may help prevent you from using those funds for anything else. You could typically do this online and could be one solution if you’re on a tight budget.

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