What happens if you don't maintain minimum balance?

Asked by: Dr. Quentin Cummings  |  Last update: July 27, 2025
Score: 4.1/5 (67 votes)

If the account falls below the minimum balance it may be assessed fees, denied interest payments, or closed. The minimum balance is usually calculated as the actual dollar balance in the account but may be an average balance in the account over a certain period of time.

What happens if you do not maintain minimum balance?

When an individual opens a savings bank account, he/she is required to maintain the minimum balance in the account as per the bank's policy. If the minimum balance in the account is not maintained, then a penalty will be levied by the banks.

What happens if you go under your minimum balance?

If your account goes below the minimum required balance, a number of things can happen. In some cases, the bank may draw money from a linked savings account to cover the shortage. However, you might be charged a low-balance fee, a monthly maintenance fee, or lose your ability to earn interest for the month.

What happens if you don't pay minimum balance?

If you don't make your minimum payments, you'll likely be charged late fees, and could see an impact to your credit score. Eventually, after so many missed payments your account could possibly be reported as delinquent and closed by the issuer.

What happens if I go below maintaining balance?

A monthly service charge imposed by the BANK shall be charged if the daily balance of the Depositor's account/s falls, at any time during the month, below the minimum maintaining balance required by the BANK.

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35 related questions found

What happens after minimum balance is not maintained?

Banks measure and enforce the minimum balance in different ways. If the account falls below the minimum balance it may be assessed fees, denied interest payments, or closed.

Does going below minimum balance affect credit score?

However, in a financial crunch, you can choose to pay the minimum balance. What Happens if I Pay Less than the Minimum Balance? In case you pay less than the minimum balance, it will negatively impact your credit score.

Do I have to keep a minimum balance?

Many banks and credit unions require you to keep a certain amount of cash in your bank account, whether it's a savings, checking or money market account. The minimum balance requirement is the specific amount of money you'll need to keep in the account at all times to enjoy certain benefits or avoid fees.

What is the minimum payment on a $500 credit card?

Percentage method: Some credit card issuers calculate the minimum payment as a percentage of your outstanding balance. This percentage typically falls within the range of 1% to 3% but can vary. For example, if your outstanding balance is $500 and the minimum payment percentage is 2%, your minimum payment would be $10.

What if I pay less than the minimum?

Right off the top, failing to send the minimum required payment can net you a late fee tacked on to your next bill. Some creditors may offer a grace period, but that would only save you in the event that you quickly made up the difference between what you sent and what was owed.

What happens if you fall below minimum balance?

Falling Below Minimum Balance Fee will be collected if account falls below the required minimum MADB for two consecutive months. Account Dormancy Fee will be collected if account is dormant and falls below the minimum MADB. A checking account is dormant if it has no client-initiated activity for one (1) year.

What if I have a balance but no minimum payment?

If your credit card statement reflects a zero minimum payment due - even if you have a balance on your card - it is because of recent, positive credit history. A review of your recent credit history and determination to waive your minimum monthly payment allows you to skip your monthly payment for a statement cycle.

Can a bank take your money for inactivity?

Financial institutions are required by state laws to transfer property (e.g. money) held by inactive accounts, typically to your state's treasury department, if the account has been inactive for a certain period of time.

What happens if your checking account is below minimum balance?

What it is. Some banks require you to maintain a certain minimum balance in your account. For example, you could be required to keep a minimum of $100 in your account at all times. If your balance falls below that amount, you end up with a fee.

Will a bank account automatically close if it reaches zero balance?

Myth About Automatic Closure:

Contrary to the layman's opinion, the zero balance itself does not automatically close the very day of the zero balance. The dynamic nature of business always makes banks look at this as a cyclical fluctuation; they may normally see periodic declines to zero on any given date.

What happens if you don't maintain your minimum balance in Federal bank?

The Bank reserves the right for further issuance of Cheque books, Statements, Fed mobile pins, Fed Net pins, Debit/ATM Cards & PINs to the customer, in case the Average Monthly/Quarterly Balance in the Account is not maintained.

How long to pay off $5,000 credit card with minimum payment?

1% of the balance plus interest: You would pay off $5,000 in 285 months. That means it would take nearly 24 years to eliminate your $5,000 balance if you only make minimum payments. During that time, you'll pay a total of $9,332.25 in interest for a total payoff cost of $14,332.25.

How much of my $500 credit limit should I use?

Lenders generally prefer that you use less than 30 percent of your credit limit. It's always a good idea to keep your credit card balance as low as possible in relation to your credit limit. Of course, paying your balance in full each month is the best practice.

What's the problem with using your credit card to take a cash advance?

Here are a few costs to consider: You will pay a transaction fee for credit card cash advances. The APR for cash advances is often higher than the APR for credit card purchases. Cash advances often begin accruing interest at the time of the withdrawal, meaning there's no grace period.

What happens if you don't maintain minimum balance for one year?

1. What are the penalties levied when the minimum balance in an account is not maintained? Yes, many banks impose penalties or charges for not maintaining the minimum or negative balance in the savings account. The specific fees and penalties may vary widely among different banks.

What happens if you don t pay minimum balance on credit card?

You could be assessed late fees and a penalty APR could apply. If you miss a payment while taking advantage of an intro 0% APR credit card, the 0% APR could be canceled. So missing a minimum payment can be very costly. Missed payments are also reported to the credit bureaus.

What happens if I go below my maintaining balance?

The Bank may impose and collect service charges and/or maintenance fees on Accounts, whether active or dormant, where the Account balances: (i) have fallen below the required minimum monthly ADB, for dormant accounts; and (ii) have fallen below the required monthly minimum ADB for at least two (2) consecutive months, ...

What happens if my balance is less than minimum balance?

Banks usually charge penalty fees if the minimum balance requirement is not met. These charges vary from bank to bank and may be deducted directly from the account balance. The bank may notify the account holder through SMS, email, or physical mail if the account falls below the minimum balance threshold.

How low should you keep your credit card balance?

The general rule of thumb has been that you don't want your CUR to exceed 30%, but increasingly financial experts are recommending that you don't want to go above 10% if you really want an excellent credit score.

Will my credit score go down if I only pay the minimum?

If you only pay the minimum due on your credit card, the remaining balance may accrue interest and increase your credit utilization, which could negatively affect your credit scores and make it harder to get out of debt.