Missed a Credit Card Payment? What to Do Next

If you missed a payment or expect to miss one, begin with the account itself. Check the due date, amount due, payment status and any fee shown in your issuer's app or statement. Terms and fees vary by card; do not rely on a universal dollar amount or a fixed credit-score effect.

If you can pay

Make the payment through the issuer's official channel, then confirm that it posted. If a fee appears, ask the issuer whether it can be waived. Record the payment confirmation and any agreement. Check the next due date and consider a reminder or an automatic payment amount you can reliably cover. An automatic payment is useful only if the linked account has enough money.

If you cannot cover the minimum

Contact the card company promptly. The CFPB recommends explaining why you cannot pay, what you can afford and when you expect to resume normal payments. Ask what hardship or payment options are available, what they cost and how the account will be reported. Write down the terms before agreeing.

If several bills are unmanageable, nonprofit credit counseling may be useful. Check any fees and services first. Avoid a company that promises to erase accurate late payments; the CFPB explains that accurate negative information cannot simply be removed.

Review your report later

Look at the account's payment history on your credit reports. If it is reported inaccurately, use the error-dispute lesson. If it is accurate, focus on a payment plan you can sustain. CreditMango cannot predict when or how much a score will change.