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What happens if I forget to pay my credit card once?

Author

Matthew Harrington

Updated on January 25, 2026

If you don’t pay your credit card bill, expect to pay late fees, receive increased interest rates and incur damages to your credit score. If you continue to miss payments, your card can be frozen, your debt could be sold to a collection agency and the collector of your debt could sue you and have your wages garnished.

How long does one late payment affect credit score?

seven years
A late payment record can pop up on your credit report when you forget or are unable to pay a bill by the due date. The creditor can report your late payment to the credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion) once you’re 30 days behind, and the late payment can remain on your credit reports for up to seven years.

How many months can you miss a credit card payment?

A credit card payment is generally considered late when it’s 30 days past due and won’t end up on your credit report until that point, according to the credit bureau Equifax. Some creditors don’t report late payments until they are 60 days overdue.

How can I fix my credit score after a late payment?

The process is easy: simply write a letter to your creditor explaining why you paid late. Ask them to forgive the late payment and assure them it won’t happen again. If they do agree to forgive the late payment, your creditor will adjust your credit report accordingly.

Can one late payment affect my credit score?

According to FICO’s credit damage data, one recent late payment can cause as much as a 180-point drop on a FICO FICO, -2.21% score, depending on your credit history and the severity of the late payment.

Why you should never miss a credit card payment?

Missing a credit card payment is one of the best ways to ruin your credit score. That’s because a higher credit score usually results in a lower interest rate on these kinds of loans, making the monthly payments less expensive. The lower your score, the higher the interest rate will be on a mortgage.

Is there a 10 day grace period for credit card payments?

What Is the Typical Grace Period for a Credit Card? A grace period is usually between 25 and 55 days. If you pay less than the full balance, miss a credit card payment or pay your bill late, your credit card issuer will charge you interest.

What happens if you miss a minimum payment on a credit card?

Missing a minimum payment can increase your balance in the following ways: Late fees. You might be charged a late fee for missing a credit card payment. According to the CFPB, your credit card company can charge a fee the first time you’re late.

What happens if you miss a capital one payment?

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or CFPB, explains that missing a minimum payment can increase your balance in the following ways: Join the millions using CreditWise® from Capital One®. You may be charged a late fee . “The first time you are late, the credit card company can charge a fee of up to $27.

What happens if you make a late payment on a credit card?

If this is your first late payment, chances are good that your card issuer may waive the late fee. There are even some cards that automatically waive your first late payment, such as the Discover it® Cash Back, or have no late payment fees at all, like the Citi Simplicity® Card.

What should I do if I forgot to pay my credit card bill?

If you have the money to pay your bill but simply forgot to, offer to make your payment immediately and ask for your late fee to be waived. Chances are, your credit card issuer will comply if this is your first offense. Just as importantly, by making that payment immediately, you’ll avoid damage to your credit score in the process.