dcsimg Credit Card Late Fees Average Over $35, Over-the-Limit Fees Top $36 - indexcreditcards.com

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Credit Card Late Fees Average Over $35, Over-the-Limit Fees Top $36

by Peter Andrew
Credit Card Late Fees Average Over $35, Over-the-Limit Fees Top $36

The average credit card late fee is now $35.20, while the average over-the-limit fees checks in at $36.10. Using data from a cross-section of major and minor card issuers, IndexCreditCards.com found that late and over-the-limit fees ranged from $0 to $39. However, most nationwide issuers charged between $29 and $39 in both categories.

As a frame of reference, a $35 average late fee is roughly equivalent to the monthly finance charge you’d pay if you carried a $2,100 balance at 14% interest.

Over-the-limit fees are even higher, and many cardholders find them even more galling, as logic would suggest that a card would simply be rejected if it hits the limit. Instead, most card issuers allow you to go over your limit, but then charge you a fee for doing so.

Many credit issuers use a “tier” system in assessing fees. For example, your late fee may be $15 if you have a balance of less than $100, $29 if the balance is less than $250, and $39 for balances beyond that. IndexCreditCards.com attempts to take into consideration these fee tiers when calculating the average fees listed here.

IndexCreditCards.com surveys the terms and conditions of a cross-section of cards every six months to determine these average fees.

Disclaimer:The information in this article is believed to be accurate as of the date it was written. Please keep in mind that credit card offers change frequently. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this article. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accurate information. See the online credit card application for full terms and conditions on offers and rewards. Please verify all terms and conditions of any credit card prior to applying.

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