Can You Change Your Credit Card Due Date?
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Having multiple bill payments due on the same day can be overwhelming. The good news is that it's generally possible (and often simple and quick) to change your credit card's "payment due" date, which can lessen financial stress throughout the month and make paying your bills easier.
Many issuers — while not required to accommodate your request — are willing to change your due date if you ask. For example, if you have an American Express credit card, changing your billing date is as easy as signing into your account and making the adjustment online.
But the process is not the same for every issuer. Here’s how to change your credit card payment dates and when it might make sense to do so.
How to change your credit card due date
There are a couple of ways you can change your credit card billing date. Many companies will allow you to choose a due date via your online account. You can log in and see whether this is an option.
For some issuers, like Bank of America®, you may have to call the customer service number on the back of your card to request a date change.
The number of times you can change your billing date also varies by issuer. American Express, for example, will allow you to change your payment date only once every three billing cycles. Chase, however, will let you do so as many times as you want — but only if your account is not in default.
When to change your credit card due date
It might make sense to change your billing date for a few reasons:
You can get all bill money out of your account simultaneously, so you won’t spend it on anything else.
You won’t have to track multiple due dates if everything is due on one or two days of the month.
Alternately, if you have too many bills due at or around the same time, spacing out your payment schedule can relieve some monetary strain.
Changing your bill date won’t hurt your credit, but it's important to note that such a change will not go into effect immediately. If you adjust your due date for a Capital One credit card, for instance, it can take up to two months for your new billing date to be reflected. Even once you've requested or officially made the change to your due date, you'll still want to monitor your payment schedule closely in order to avoid incurring late fees.
Sync your due date with your payday
You’ll want to keep your bill payments in line with your paydays. Make sure your paycheck will be able to cover the bills due during your designated due dates as well as all of your other expenses — food, fuel, entertainment, etc.
Note that because billing dates are recurring and not all months have the same number of days, many issuers will only allow you to select a billing date between the first and the 28th of the month.
Lastly, if you aren’t already automating your bills, it might be something to look into. Automatic bill pay makes things simpler because after you set it, you don’t have to actively remember to log in every month and pay your bill online. But you should opt for autopay only if you know the funds will be available on your due dates. Regular overdrafting of your account could end up costing you a lot of money in fees.
What if you're unable to change your due date?
If you are unable to change your due date, you can take matters into your own hands. Try to be proactive about your monthly bill payments, if your income is stable enough.
Rent, for instance, will probably always be due on the first of the month. However, you can decide to pay rent earlier — even as early as your last payday of the month. And you can do the same with any other bills that can’t be changed. The important thing in this case is to pay early, not late.
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