Changing the due date on your credit card bills

For many, unbalanced monthly bills are the norm. Whether most of your bills are due toward the end of the month or are all due during the first week, your budget can easily be thrown off.

Unbalanced bills can become even more problematic if you’re living paycheck-to-paycheck. Saving ahead of time and anticipating your bills may be ideal, but doing so isn’t as easy as it sounds.

The good news is you may have some say in when some of your bills are due — specifically credit card bills. Whether you have one of the best credit cards available, a secured or credit building card, taking steps to change your card’s due date can help you balance your budget and reduce your money stress in the process.

How your credit card billing cycle works

There are a handful of credit issuer requests you can make to personalize your credit card experience. Simply knowing it’s possible to change your credit card’s due date is only half the battle. You also need to figure out when your ideal due date might be.

Before you can decide, you need to understand how your billing cycle works. Credit cards tend to offer billing cycles of 20 to 45 days, but they usually fall around 30 days. The catch is that these cycles can begin and end any time of the month, which is why your due date could ultimately be the 1st, 13th or 29th, depending on your card.

Your credit card due date will occur after your billing cycle ends, and the time between your statement closing date and your due date is your grace period. Thanks to the Credit CARD Act of 2009, credit card issuers must give cardholders this 21-day period to pay their credit card bill once their monthly statement closes.

However, you should also note that you don’t always get a grace period. Not only do some credit cards not offer one, but you likely won’t get one for cash advances.

Can you change your credit card due date?

Most issuers will let you change your credit card due date, but there could be limitations on how frequently you can change it. Plan carefully to make sure you identify a date that works best for your income and other bills. If you choose a date that doesn’t work out well after a billing cycle or two, you may need to wait up to 90 days to change it again.

The best way to find out if you can change your credit card due date is to call your card’s issuer and ask. The customer service number should be on the back of your card. Alternatively, you may be able to change your due date online or using your issuer’s app.

How to change your credit card due date

Fortunately, changing your due date should be easy, since all you have to do is go online into your card’s app or call the customer service number on your credit card bill and ask.

Keep in mind that some credit card issuers will be more open and accommodating than others. American Express, Bank of America, Barclays, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover are likely to change your due date upon request, but they may follow a specific set of rules.

Here are guidelines from each issuer for changing your credit card’s due date.

• American Express: Change your credit card’s due date online through your account by following the link at the bottom of your account page. If your Amex card has Pay Over Time features, you’ll need to speak with a representative.
• Bank of America: Call customer service to speak with a representative to change your credit card payment’s due date.
• Barclays: You can change your due date by navigating to the services menu in your online account and selecting “Change payment due date.”
• Capital One: You can change your due date online in your account. It will be updated in the following billing cycle.
• Chase: Navigate to the “Things you can do” tab in your online account, where you can change your due date as long as your account is not in default.
• Citi: You can change your credit card’s due date in the app or online by navigating to “Services,” then “Card services” and selecting “Payment due date.” You’ll be brought to a calendar where you can select your new due date.
• Discover: You can navigate to Discover’s “Credit Card Payment Flexibility” page and select “Pay Date Flexibility.” You’ll be required to login, but you’ll arrive at a page where you can change your due date.
• Wells Fargo: You can change your due date online or by calling Wells Fargo customer service.

For most issuers you may only be able to change your due date if your account is in good standing. You also may not be able to change your due date until your account has been in existence for a few months, and several issuers have restrictions about how often you can change your due date. Some issuers also have blackout dates that are ineligible as due dates.

Further, even though this might seem like a smart idea, you will also be out of luck if you try to change your due date after your bill payment is already late.

Reasons to change your credit card due date

Cash flow is an important concern when you’re balancing debt or borrowing money, like with a credit card. It can be easy to spend money you don’t have when you use a credit card because they’re convenient payment methods that give you access to money you don’t necessarily have on hand. However, you need to pay this debt back, or you may start accruing large interest charges.

It’s important your due date works with your payment and income schedule. You might want to change your card’s due date to come sometime after your employer’s direct deposit comes into your account. Not everyone has a weekly or bi-weekly income schedule. Some people might receive just one check per month or have unconventional payment schedules. The more control you have over how you pay back money you owe, the easier it can be to manage debt and avoid interest charges.

When you should pay your credit card bill

Scheduling your credit card bill largely depends on the timeline of your other bills. If most of your bills are due at the beginning of the month, it might make sense to move your credit card due dates to the end so you’ll have more spending money to avoid late fees. On the other hand, if most of your bills are due in the middle of the month, a credit card due date near the beginning of the month may work better.

Ideally, you’ll want to aim for the time of the month when you have the most disposable income. That way, you’ll be in a better position to pay your bills and avoid both late fees and the potential for a penalty APR.

Sit down with your checkbook, bills and monthly budget for a quick analysis. Work out when you normally get paid, how much you normally take home and when most of your bills are due. Once you take this step, the best time to pay your credit card bill should become obvious.

What if you can’t change your due date?

If your issuer denies your request for a due date change, consider shifting your payment habits anyway. Remember: The due date is a deadline. There’s nothing that prevents you from paying your statement balance before then. Your statement will arrive at least three weeks before your due date, so consider paying your bill immediately upon receiving the statement. That way, if your credit card due date is near other due dates, you give yourself more time (and potentially another paycheck) in between bills.

You can also turn to the bills (like utilities or phone bills) that are conflicting with your credit card payment. You can request a different due date or change your payment habits to find a balance that works for you.

The bottom line

While you can’t always change the due dates on bills like rent, your mortgage or your car payment, credit card issuers tend to offer more flexibility. You should take any chance you get to have more control over your cash flow, whether it’s your pay day or your due dates for bills. Understanding how your billing cycle works and knowing your options can have a significant impact on how reliably you’re able to repay what you owe. If your credit card issuer allows it, you can change your due date by calling or going online to manage your card account. But if you aren’t sure you can change it, calling to ask will let you find out.

Don’t let unbalanced bills cause unnecessary stress and late fees. While not every issuer will let you change your due date, you can still practice financial responsibility by adjusting your spending.