Credit Card Hardship Program: How It Works and How to Ask
What a credit card hardship program can include, who qualifies, how to ask your issuer, how it affects your credit and the federal rules when it ends.
Guides & How-To guides
Practical, plain-English walkthroughs for choosing, comparing and getting the most from your credit cards in the eight countries — updated as offers change.
Can You Pay a Credit Card With Another Credit Card?
Whether you can pay a credit card bill with another credit card, how balance transfers, cash advances and convenience checks work, what they cost and safer options.
Credit Card vs Debit Card: Fraud Protection, Credit and Fees
Credit card vs debit card compared for US readers: fraud liability under federal law, dispute rights, credit building, overdrafts, holds and which to use when.
Statement Balance vs Current Balance: Which Should You Pay?
Statement balance vs current balance explained: what each number means, which to pay to avoid interest, the minimum payment warning and which balance affects your credit score.
Why Is My Credit Card Interest Rate Going Up? 4 Common Reasons
Why is my credit card interest rate going up? The four usual causes, from variable APRs and expiring promotions to penalty rates, plus the federal rules on notice and what you can do.
Negative Credit Card Balance: What It Means and How to Get a Refund
What a negative credit card balance means, why it happens, how to get a refund within seven business days under federal rules, and whether a credit balance affects your score.
How Credit Card Interest Works: APR, Grace Periods and Daily Balances
How card issuers turn your APR into a daily charge, when the grace period protects you, why interest can appear after you pay in full, and how to keep it at zero.
What Is a Credit Card Cash Advance? Fees, Interest and Alternatives
What counts as a cash advance, why it costs more than a purchase, how it affects your credit and the cheaper ways to get cash when you need it.
How to Dispute a Credit Card Charge: Your Rights and the Steps
A step-by-step guide to disputing a wrong, duplicate or fraudulent credit card charge, with the federal deadlines, what your issuer must do and how chargebacks fit in.