N
The Daily Insight Hub

Do I have to pay my entire statement balance?

Author

Isabella Turner

Updated on February 10, 2026

Pay your statement balance in full to avoid interest charges But in order to avoid interest charges, you’ll need to pay your statement balance in full. If you pay less than the statement balance, your account will still be in good standing, but you will incur interest charges.

Should I pay my statement balance before due date?

At a minimum, you should pay your credit card bill before its statement due date. Paying a credit card after this due date can result in hefty late fees and, depending on the credit card, an increased interest rate.

Should I pay my credit card statement in full?

While paying your statement balance by the due date is typically enough to avoid interest charges, you should consider paying your current balance in full, which could improve your credit utilization ratio.

Do you pay the statement balance or current balance?

Paying your statement balance vs. While you may have a current balance above $0, you won’t be on the hook to pay interest on it so long as your statement is paid off in full. However, if you want to be diligent about your finances, it’s best to always pay your entire balance — that means your current balance.

Should I pay minimum payment or statement balance?

While paying the full statement balance is preferred, there may be times when you can only make the minimum payment. Once you have the funds available to cover your balance, pay it off in full. At the very least, you should try to pay more than the minimum, even if you can’t afford the full balance.

Why is statement balance higher than current balance?

Why is my statement balance higher than my current balance? Since your current balance is a dynamic, always-changing number based on payments and purchases, it may be higher or lower than your statement balance, which is only updated on the closing day of your billing cycle.

When do I have to make payment on my travel account?

Payment for all undisputed charges must be made in full by the statement billing due date, which is 25 to 30 days after the closing date on the billing statement of account, depending on the bank.

What are the consequences of late payment on a travel account?

Consequences of late payment include: Bank representatives will notify you with letters and telephone calls. Your program coordinator is notified that the amount is past due. Your supervisor may also be notified.

When do I receive my government travel bill?

You will receive a billing statement from the issuing bank once a month when using a government travel account. The bill will be issued for all travelers in your office on the same date each month, called the billing cycle date. When you receive the billing statement of account, verify all of the charges listed.

When is a GSA travel account considered past due?

The due date is printed on the bill. Under the GSA SmartPay master contract, an account is considered past due if payment for the undisputed principal amount has not been received 45 calendar days from the closing date on the statement of account in which the charge appears. Consequences of late payment include: