Contact your card issuer before the payment due date

Call the customer service number on the back of your card as soon as you know you will miss a payment. Do not wait until after the due date passes. Card issuers have options they can offer you before a late payment hits your credit report, but those options disappear once you miss the deadline.

When you call, explain your situation directly: job loss, medical emergency, unexpected expense, or whatever caused the shortfall. Ask what options are available. Many issuers can temporarily lower your minimum payment, pause interest charges for a month, or set up a payment plan. Some will note your account that you contacted them proactively, which can matter if you later dispute a late fee.

Write down the name of the representative you spoke with, the date and time of the call, and what was offered or agreed to. If they promise something in writing, ask them to send it by email or mail. This record protects you if there is a dispute later about what was discussed.

Key Takeaways

  • Calling before your due date gives you access to hardship programs and payment deferrals that disappear once you are late.
  • A late payment stays on your credit report for seven years, but the damage to your score decreases over time if you pay on time afterward.
  • Late fees and penalty interest rates can add hundreds of dollars to your balance, so understanding what your card charges is essential before you miss a payment.
  • If you cannot afford the minimum payment, look into debt management plans through a nonprofit credit counselor, which may lower your overall payments without the credit damage of bankruptcy.
  • Paying even a partial payment before the due date is better than paying nothing, because it shows good faith and may reduce the late fee.

Understand what happens to your credit and your account

A payment that is 30 days late gets reported to the three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) and appears on your credit report. This single late payment can lower your credit score by 100 points or more, depending on your current score and payment history. The damage is heaviest in the first few months after the late payment, but the mark stays visible for seven years.

Your card issuer will also charge you a late fee (typically $25 to $40 for a first offense) and may raise your interest rate to the penalty rate listed in your card agreement. This penalty rate is often 29% or higher and applies not just to new purchases but to your existing balance. If you owe $5,000 and your penalty rate jumps from 18% to 29%, you are paying roughly $550 more per year in interest alone.

If you miss a payment by 60 days, the damage compounds. Your card issuer may freeze your account, preventing new purchases. At 180 days past due, many issuers charge off the account, meaning they write it off as a loss and may sell the debt to a collection agency. A charge-off stays on your report for seven years and makes borrowing much harder.

Make a partial payment if you cannot pay the full amount

Paying something is meaningfully better than paying nothing. A partial payment shows the issuer you are trying to meet your obligation, and it reduces how much interest accrues on the unpaid balance. It also may reduce or eliminate the late fee if you pay before the due date passes.

If you can pay half your minimum, pay it. If you can pay $50 toward a $200 minimum, pay the $50. The payment still counts as on-time if it arrives by the due date, even if it does not cover the full minimum. Your account will show a partial payment rather than a missed payment, which is a meaningful difference to your credit report and to how the issuer treats you going forward.

Set up the payment through your card's online portal or by phone so you know it will arrive on time. Do not mail a check unless you have no other option — mail can take five to ten business days, and the issuer may not receive it by your due date.

Ask about hardship programs and payment plans

Most major card issuers offer hardship programs for customers facing temporary financial difficulty. These programs may include a reduced minimum payment for three to six months, a frozen interest rate, waived late fees, or a structured repayment plan. The exact terms depend on your card issuer and your situation.

To access a hardship program, you typically need to call the issuer's hardship department (different from regular customer service) and explain your circumstances. Have your account number ready and be prepared to describe what caused the hardship and when you expect your situation to improve. Some issuers ask for documentation like a termination letter or medical bills, but many do not.

A hardship program does not erase missed payments that already happened, but it can prevent future missed payments and may stop penalty interest from accruing. The program stays on your account for the agreed-upon period, and after it ends, your regular terms resume. This is not a permanent solution, but it can buy you time to stabilize your finances.

Explore debt management plans through a nonprofit counselor

If you are behind on multiple cards or cannot catch up even with a hardship program, a nonprofit credit counselor can help you set up a debt management plan (DMP). A DMP is an agreement between you, your creditors, and a credit counseling agency. The agency negotiates with your card issuers to lower your interest rates and monthly payments, and you make one payment to the agency each month, which distributes the money to your creditors.

To find a legitimate nonprofit counselor, search the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) website or call 800-388-2227. These agencies are accredited and typically charge little or nothing for a budget consultation. A DMP usually takes three to five years to complete and appears on your credit report, which can lower your score initially, but it is less damaging than bankruptcy or multiple charge-offs.

A DMP does require you to close the accounts included in the plan, so you cannot use those cards while you are paying down the debt. This is intentional — it prevents you from running up new balances while you are trying to pay off old ones. If you have an emergency during the plan, you can ask the agency to modify the agreement, but the goal is to stick to the plan as written.

Know the difference between late and delinquent

Late means you have missed your due date but have not yet reached 30 days past due. During this window, you can still call and negotiate. Late fees apply, but the payment is not yet reported to the credit bureaus. If you pay within 30 days, the late payment does not appear on your credit report.

Delinquent means you are 30 or more days past due. At this point, the late payment is reported to Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion and appears on your credit report. The damage is done, but you can still stop it from getting worse by paying as soon as possible. Paying a delinquent account does not remove the mark from your report, but it stops additional late fees and penalty interest from accruing.

The difference matters because it changes what options are available to you. Before 30 days, you have leverage — the issuer wants to avoid reporting you to the bureaus. After 30 days, that leverage is gone, but you can still prevent the account from being charged off or sent to collections by paying or setting up a plan.

Avoid predatory solutions and scams

When you are behind on payments, you will see ads for credit repair companies, payday loans, and debt settlement firms. Most of these make your situation worse, not better.

Credit repair companies claim they can remove late payments from your report. They cannot. Only time and accurate reporting remove legitimate late payments. Anything a credit repair company does, you can do yourself for free by disputing inaccurate information directly with the credit bureaus.

Payday loans charge interest rates of 400% or higher and are designed to trap you in a cycle of borrowing. If you take out a payday loan to pay your credit card, you will owe the payday lender money you cannot afford to repay, plus you still owe the credit card. This makes your situation worse.

Debt settlement companies promise to negotiate your debt down for a fee. They often tell you to stop paying your creditors while they negotiate, which destroys your credit and may result in lawsuits. Legitimate credit counselors offer similar services for free or low cost through nonprofit agencies.

If you are unsure whether a company is legitimate, check the Better Business Bureau or ask your state's attorney general office. Legitimate credit counseling is free or very low cost. If a company asks for money upfront or promises to remove accurate information from your credit report, it is a scam.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will one missed payment ruin my credit forever?

No. One late payment damages your score significantly in the first few months, but the impact decreases over time if you pay on time after that. After two years, the late payment matters much less. After seven years, it falls off your report entirely. Rebuilding your score takes time, but it is possible.

Can my card issuer raise my interest rate without my permission?

Yes, if you miss a payment. Your card agreement includes a penalty rate that the issuer can apply if you are late. However, the issuer cannot raise your rate on other cards you hold with them unless you miss a payment on those cards too. This is called universal default, and while it is legal, it is less common than it used to be.

What if I get a call from a debt collector?

If your account is charged off and sold to a collection agency, you may be contacted by a debt collector. You have the right to request written proof that you owe the debt (called a debt validation letter). Send this request in writing within 30 days of first contact. The collector must stop contacting you until they provide proof. Do not ignore collection calls — ignoring them can result in a lawsuit and wage garnishment.

Should I use a credit card to pay another credit card?

No. Using one credit card to pay another is a sign you are in financial trouble, and it usually makes things worse. You are paying one debt with another debt, and now you owe two cards instead of one. The only exception is if you transfer a high-interest balance to a card with a 0% introductory rate and have a concrete plan to pay it off before the rate increases.

Can I negotiate my late fee after it has been charged?

Yes, sometimes. Call your issuer and ask if they will waive or reduce the late fee, especially if this is your first late payment or if you have been a customer for many years. Many issuers will remove one late fee as a courtesy if you ask. This is not may provide, but it costs nothing to ask.