You can see your credit card's closed date on your account statement, which is usually mailed to you once a month. This statement will show the date the credit card account was closed.
Typically, your credit card issuer will send you a notification 30 days before your account is closed, giving you time to make any necessary payments or adjustments.
The closed date will also be reflected in your credit report, which you can access through websites like Credit Karma or Credit Sesame.
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What is a Credit Card Closing Date?
Your credit card's statement closing date is the last day of your billing cycle, which usually lasts 28 – 31 days.
Credit card issuers add up your charges during your billing cycle, and the amount you owe on your card's statement closing date determines the amount of interest you'll pay on your due date.
Typically, there are 20 – 25 days between your statement closing date and your payment due date, known as the grace period.
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During this time, you can collect the money you'll need to pay your credit card bill, but you don't need to wait until your card's due date to make a payment.
You can make credit card payments at any time, even before your closing date, to pay off your statement balance in full or make a partial payment.
If you make the minimum payment due, you won't face any late fees, but interest will be charged on the remaining balance.
Your credit card company will calculate any monthly interest charges you owe on your closing date, in addition to the total amount of new charges you made during your billing cycle.
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How Does a Closing Date Affect You?
Your credit card's closing date is the last day of your billing cycle, which usually lasts 28-31 days.
This date is crucial because it determines the amount of interest you'll pay on your due date. Your credit card company adds up your charges during your billing cycle, and the amount you owe on your closing date will impact your interest charges.
If you make the minimum payment due on or before your due date, you won't face any late fees, but interest will still be charged on the remaining balance.
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How Does Your Score Affect You?
Having a good credit score can make your financial life a lot easier. A high credit score can make it easier to qualify for loans and new credit cards.
You'll likely qualify for lower interest rates, which can save you money in the long run. This is especially important if you need to borrow money for a big purchase or emergency.
A lower credit score, on the other hand, can make it harder to get approved for credit. You may be offered higher interest rates or fewer credit options.
Paying off your credit card balance before your statement closing date can help you avoid a hit on your credit score. Missing a payment by 30 days or more can cause your credit score to fall by 100 points or more.
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Change Your Payment Due Date for Best Statement
Changing your payment due date can have a significant impact on your credit card statement. You can ask your credit card company to change your due date, but it will also change your statement closing date.
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To get the best statement closing date, you can try to get a due date that falls on the 26th or 27th of the month, so that over 95% of your activity will be from the same month.
If you can't get the 26th or 27th, you can try to get a due date that falls on a date that will only be a few days into the next month. This will make it easier to manage your credit card debt and understand your activity.
A good example of how to calculate your statement closing date is to count back 25 days from your payment due date. For instance, if your payment due date is June 10th, your statement closing date will be May 16th.
Here's a breakdown of the 25-day grace period:
- 10 days of grace in June, from the 1st to the 10th
- 15 days in May, from the 17th to the 31st
By changing your payment due date, you can get a statement closing date that makes it easier to manage your credit card activity and understand your spending.
Changing Your Credit Card Closing Date
You can ask your credit card company to change your closing or due date. A change in your payment due date will trigger a change to your statement closing date.
If you get paid on specific dates each month, changing your due date might make sense for your finances. For example, if you get paid on the 5th and 20th of every month, you may want to ask your provider to change your due date to the 21st of the month.
To change your due date, call the customer service number on the back of your credit card and ask a service representative to change your card's due date. They usually agree to this request.
Changing your due date can help you have more funds to pay off your debt and lower your credit card balance. By paying more of your debt, you can reduce your credit card balance.
If your card company doesn't let you pick a specific due date, you can try going to the next day, like the 27th or 28th. This way, you'll only be a few days into the next month.
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Calculating and Understanding Closing Dates
Credit card closing dates can be a bit tricky to understand, but don't worry, I'm here to break it down for you.
Your credit card's statement closing date is the last day of your billing cycle, which typically lasts 28-31 days. This is when your credit card company adds up your charges.
The amount you owe on your card's statement closing date will determine the amount of interest you'll pay on your due date. Your due date usually falls 20-25 days after your closing date.
To calculate your closing date, your credit card issuer will count backward from your due date. For example, if your payment due date is June 10th and you have a 25-day grace period, your credit card statement closing date will be May 16th.
Here's a chart to help illustrate the issue with having a credit card payment due date on the 10th of each month:
As you can see, the activity will be spread over two calendar months, making it difficult to track your spending and manage your debt.
However, there is a way to get the best statement closing date. If you can change your payment due date to the 26th, your credit card statement closing date for your activity will be the 1st of each month. If that's not possible, you can try the 27th or 28th. This way, over 95% of the activity will be from the same month.
Getting Help with Credit Card Closing Dates
Your credit card's statement closing date is the last day of your billing cycle, usually 28-31 days long. This is when your credit card company adds up your charges and determines the amount you owe.
The amount you owe on your card's statement closing date will determine the amount of interest you'll pay on your due date, which is usually 20-25 days after your closing date. This means if your closing date falls on the first day of the month, you'll usually make a payment between the 21st and 26th day of the month.
Credit card issuers calculate any monthly interest charges you owe on your closing date, in addition to the total amount of new charges you made during your billing cycle. Your issuer will also determine the minimum payment you must make on or before your due date to avoid a late payment fee.
If you make the minimum payment due, you won't face any late fees, but interest will be charged on the remaining balance.
Sources
- https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/credit-card-posting.asp
- https://mycreditunion.gov/manage-your-money/consumer-loans-credit-cards/credit-cards
- https://www.rocketmoney.com/learn/debt-and-credit/credit-card-closing-date
- https://financialdadvisor.com/credit-cards/how-to-select-your-credit-card-statement-date/
- https://millionmilesecrets.com/guides/lost-track-easily-find-out-credit-card-open-close-dates/
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