Understanding Your Credit Card Minimum Payments
Decoding Minimum Payments: Your Guide to Smarter Credit Management
Decoding Minimum Payments: Your Guide to Smarter Credit Management
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Knowing how your minimum payment is calculated is crucial for managing your financial health. This knowledge helps you:
Think of your minimum payment as a financial vital sign - it can tell you a lot about your credit card's health and your path to becoming debt-free.
Let's start with a comprehensive overview of how different banks calculate their minimum payments. Below you'll find a quick-reference table showing the calculation methods across major card issuers:
Bank | Minimum Payment Calculation |
---|---|
American Express Personal | The greater of these: $40, 2% of the balance excluding interest and fees*, 1% of your balance plus interest and fees* |
American Express Business | The greater of these: $35, For a balance of $0-$25,000: 1% of the balance plus monthly interest and fees*, For a balance of $25,000-$75,000: 5% of the balance plus monthly interest and fees*, For a balance over $75,000: 10% of the balance plus monthly interest and fees* |
Bank Of America | The greater of these: $25, or 1% of the full balance plus the monthly interest and fees |
Barclay Bank | The greater of these: $27, or 1% of the full balance plus the monthly interest and fees |
Capital One | The greater of these: $25, or 1% of the full balance plus the monthly interest and fees |
Chase | The greater of these: $25, or 1% of the full balance plus the monthly interest and fees |
Citi | The greater of these: $25 or 1% of the full balance plus the monthly interest and fees, or 1.5% of the full balance |
Discover | The greater of these: $35, or 2% of the full balance or $20 plus the monthly interest and fees |
Santander | The greater of these: $25, or 1% of the full balance plus the monthly interest and fees |
Synchrony | The greater of these: $25, or $35 if you had any late payments within the last six months, or 1% of your full balance plus the monthly interest and fees |
Us Bank | The greater of these: $30, or 1% of your full balance plus the monthly interest and fees |
Wells Fargo | The greater of these: $15, or 1% of the full balance plus the monthly interest and fees |
Now, let's dive deeper into some of the more complex calculation methods and what they mean for you.
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American Express stands out with its unique approach to minimum payments, offering different structures for personal and business accounts.
Your minimum payment will be the greater of:
Additional charge: 1/24th of any amount over your credit limit
Three distinct tiers:
Note: Any amount over your credit limit is due in full
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Discover uses a unique calculation method that can work in your favor depending on your APR:
Key Points:
Citi offers a three-option approach to minimum payments:
Key Points:
Most other banks, including Chase, Capital One, and Wells Fargo, follow a simpler formula: Greater of $25 OR 1% of balance plus interest and fees
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Advantages:
Advantages:
Important: Always try to pay more than the minimum when possible. Think of minimum payments as a financial safety net, not a recommended payment strategy.
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