Impact of Making Only the Minimum Payment
As the saying goes, “It is a trap!” One that can keep you buried in debt and paying interest on your credit card debt – while barely touching the actual balance due month after month after month. This can occur even if you never make future charges on your credit card.
In summary. If you're carrying a balance, it's important to try to make at least the minimum payment on a credit card. Not doing so may result in extra fees, potential harm to your credit score or your issuer closing your account.
The exact amount you pay doesn't factor into the payment history portion of your credit score. It's simply noted that you've made a payment on time. Although there's no direct connection, only paying the minimum amount due can increase your debt over time, which can put a strain on your finances.
A: Paying only the minimum amount due leads to prolonged debt due to accumulated interest and a higher credit utilisation ratio and can result in paying significantly more over time due to interest and fees.
It's a good idea to pay off your credit card balance in full whenever you're able. Carrying a monthly credit card balance can cost you in interest and increase your credit utilization rate, which is one factor used to calculate your credit scores.
Failing to pay at least this amount can lead to late fees and damage your credit score. Typically, the minimum due is around 5% of your total outstanding balance, plus any interest charges and applicable fees. For example, if your total outstanding balance is ₹20,000, your minimum due might be around ₹1,000.
In India, there are no fees for overpaying a credit card balance. Excess amounts are refunded upon request, but banks often restrict overpayments to prevent fraud. Overpayments do not incur penalties but may raise fraud concerns if they're unusually high.
Fees and charges will incur from the date that each transaction is charged to your account until such amount is paid off. If you only pay the minimum payment, or less than that, by the due date, we will charge you fees, charges and taxes.
There are some differences around how the various data elements on a credit report factor into the score calculations. Although credit scoring models vary, generally, credit scores from 660 to 724 are considered good; 725 to 759 are considered very good; and 760 and up are considered excellent.
If your credit card statement balance changes, your minimum payment might change as well. That's because minimum payments are calculated based on what you owe, so they are affected by your monthly spending, interest rates and possible fees.
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. At Experian, one of our priorities is consumer credit and finance education.
Target one debt at a time.
The snowball method has you pay toward your smallest debt first until that card is completely paid off. You then move on to the next smallest debt and the next smallest after that. The idea here is to build momentum in your repayment process.
If you choose to pay your Outstanding Balance in full on or before the Payment Due Date, no finance charge will be imposed. However, if you choose to pay only the Minimum Payment or any amount less than the Outstanding Balance on or before the Payment Due Date, you will be treated as borrower or a “revolver”.
If you pay the credit card minimum payment, you won't have to pay a late fee. But you'll still have to pay interest on the balance you didn't pay. And credit card interest rates run high: According to August 2024 data from the Federal Reserve, the national average credit card APR was 21.76%.
According to Experian™, one of the three main credit bureaus, the average total credit limit across multiple cards was about $30,000 in 2021. In 2022, the average credit limit for the baby boomer generation was about $40,000, while Gen X had about $36,000 in credit limit and millennials had an average of about $30,000.
How much is 26.99 APR on $3,000? An APR of 26.99% on a $3,000 balance would cost $67.26 in monthly interest charges.
"When you pay only the minimum amount due, you can avoid late payment charges, but the remaining unpaid balance starts attracting finance charges, which can go up to 42% p.a. Moreover, when there is unpaid balance in your account, all new purchases become ineligible for the interest-free period, which means they will ...
You can always pay more than the minimum payment. It's best to pay your full credit card balance every month to avoid interest charges costing you money, but if you can't afford the full balance it's always recommended to pay at least a little more than the minimum.
Longer repayment term: If you habitually keep on paying only the minimum amount due on your credit card, you will take a very long period of time to repay the entire amount. This, in turn, would turn out to be an unwanted financial burden for you.
The 15/3 rule, a trending credit card repayment method, suggests paying your credit card bill in two payments—both 15 days and 3 days before your payment due date. Proponents say it helps raise credit scores more quickly, but there's no real proof. Building credit takes time and effort.
Making only the minimum payment on your credit card can impact your credit score. While it may not immediately hurt your score, consistently paying only the minimum amount due can negatively affect your credit utilisation rate and potentially lower your credit score over time.
While the term "deadbeat" generally carries a negative connotation, when it comes to the credit card industry, it's a compliment. Card issuers refer to customers as deadbeats if they pay off their balance in full each month, avoiding interest charges and fees on their accounts.