CARD FEES & ASSOCIATED COSTS

• Annual fee (sometimes billed monthly)
  

  Charged for having the card

• Cash advance fee

  Charged when you use the card for a cash advance; may be a flat fee (for example, $3.00) or a percentage of the cash advance (for example, 3%)

• Balance-transfer fee

  Charged when you transfer a balance from another credit card. (Your credit card company may send you "checks" to pay off the other card. The balance is transferred when you use one of these checks to pay the amount due on the other card.)

  Late-payment fee

  Charged if your payment is received after the due date

  Over-the-credit-limit fee

  Charged if you go over your credit limit

• Credit-limit-increase fee Charged if you ask for an increase in your credit limit

• Set-up fee Charged when a new credit card account is opened

• Return-item fee Charged if you pay your bill by check and the check is returned for non-sufficient funds (that is, your check bounces)

• Other fees

  Some credit card companies charge a fee if you pay by telephone (that is, if you arrange by phone for payment to be transferred from your bank to the company) or to cover the costs of reporting to credit bureaus, reviewing your account, or providing other customer services. Read the information in your credit card agreement to see if there are other fees and charges.