Opening up a credit card statement each month can be a daunting task. However, negotiating the terms of your debt with your credit card company is not as hard as you think. If you take the right steps, you will be surprised at how eager some banks and credit card issuers are to work with you.
Here are five things to keep in mind when negotiating with credit card companies.
- Go right to the top. When you call your credit card company to negotiate the terms, ask to speak to a manager right away. Be polite and assure the representative there is not a problem. If the representative asks you if there is a way for them to help you, explain what you are trying to accomplish.
- Request a due date change. An easy adjustment to make to your credit card terms is to simply change your payment due date. Most credit card companies are willing to move the date to help increase timely payments. If you consistently make late payments, it would be in your best interest to request a more suitable date.
- Bargain for a lower interest rate. Have you been getting some competitive offers from other credit card companies? If so, you may be able to use the offers as a bargaining tool. Before you go to your credit card company, make sure you jot down all the perks, interest rates and other benefits that you would be getting if you switched cards. Your credit card company most likely will not want to lose you as a customer and will be willing to work with you.
- Request a late payment fee waiver. If you have a responsible payment history with your company, they may be willing to waive late fees. If you consistently make late payments, they will likely suggest you sign up for automatic payments.
- Negotiate to get the annual fee removed. Some credit card companies charge as much as $95 per year in annual fees in exchange for a few perks. When you signed up for your card, the annual fees may have worked in your favor because of the benefits you received as a cardholder. However, it may be time to reevaluate whether or not the benefits, such as cash back rewards and travel points, are outweighing the annual fees.
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If you have any questions on this topic or are in financial crisis and considering filing for bankruptcy, contact an experienced Miami bankruptcy attorney who can advise you of all of your options. As an experienced CPA as well as a proven bankruptcy lawyer, Timothy Kingcade knows how to help clients take full advantage of the bankruptcy laws to protect their assets and get successful results. Since 1996 Kingcade Garcia McMaken has been helping people from all walks of life build a better tomorrow. Our attorneys’ help thousands of people every year take advantage of their rights under bankruptcy protection to restart, rebuild and recover. The day you hire our firm, we will contact your creditors to stop the harassment. You can also find useful consumer information on the Kingcade Garcia McMaken website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.