What Does a Negative Balance on a Credit Card Mean and How to Fix It? Checked into your account, and it shows a negative credit card balance. No need to panic; know that it’s not a bad thing. When the negative balance comes up on your credit card statement, it means your issuer has to pay you that amount. It shows you make regular transactions, which will help to maintain financial health.
So what is negative balance on credit card ? Let’s discuss all about it in this blog and how you can calculate credit card payments to bring it back to positive.
What is a Negative Credit Card Balance? A negative balance shows up when your account balance drops below zero. This simply means that the card issuer owes you money.
The negative balance situation usually occurs when you have credit returned to your account or if you have overpaid your outstanding balance.
Having a negative balance is generally undesirable, as it shows up with a minus. However, the good thing is, the company will pay you money.
Why is My Credit Card Balance Negative? Your account can show a negative credit card balance due to many reasons. Let’s discuss it here:
You can get a negative balance on your credit card if you overpay your credit card bill. This can happen by mistake when you manually make a payment greater than your statement balance. For example, if your statement balance is $200 and you accidentally pay $300, you will have a negative balance of -$100 on your credit card. Cardholders can even get negative balances due to merchant errors. If the merchant has opened a new account and faces difficulty accepting payments, it may show a negative balance. Second, if they have overcharged or charged twice for a transaction, the account will show up as negative when you receive the refund. You can get a negative statement balance if the amount of your reward exceeds the balance . Make sure to redeem the reward points within the limit of the current balance. So these are the reasons if you are wondering why is my credit balance negative? Let’s go ahead and see if it affects your financial health in the next section.
If you find yourself with a negative balance on your credit card, you can contact your credit card issuer to request a deposit or a check for the negative balance amount. They may be able to transfer the negative balance to your bank account or provide you with a check, money order, or cash.
Is It Bad to Have a Negative Balance on Credit Card? It is not bad to have negative balance on credit card as it does not influence your CIBIL score.
This can happen if you have returned any purchased item and received money back on your card, and it reflects as a negative balance, resulting in your issuer owing you money. In this situation, you can either make another purchase of the same amount, or the company will issue a direct deposit or check to settle the finances. Your CIBIL score won’t be hampered.
What Can You Do About Negative Credit Card Balance? If you want to close your account but are wondering what to do with the negative balance, here are some measures you can take:
Get in touch with the Bank or issuer You must call your card issuer and ask them about the negative balance. They can give a clear explanation about the same. Different companies have different ways of dealing with the negative balance situation.
Request a refund If the bank or card issuer owes you money, you can ask for a refund via a deposit in your account, a check, or a money order. For this, all you need to do is contact the help desk and complete the formalities to proceed with the refund procedure.
Make payments in purchases Another way of getting out of a negative balance is by making purchases of the same amount. This means that if you have a negative balance of $150, you can simply buy something for the same amount. Consider this as a short-term credit, and it won’t add up to your balance until you spend it.
So these are the methods to get a credit card negative balance refund from the bank or issuer.
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What Does Negative Balance Mean on a Closed Account? If you close your account and your balance is negative, the issuer will most likely settle the payment by sending a check or direct deposit. Your account can be officially closed once the financial issues have been resolved within 30-60 days.
To speed up the process, contact your issuer as soon as you notice a negative balance and discuss the necessary steps.
Wrapping Up! It’s important to note that having a negative balance on your credit card must be taken care of, as it may indicate an error or miscalculation. We recommend you pay close attention to your payments and ensure you take steps to keep your statements neutral.
Please keep in mind that these suggestions are general, and it’s always best to consult with your credit card issuer directly for specific guidance on handling a negative balance.
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Frequently Asked Questions Ans: Yes, you can request a check, money order, or cash from the issuer to settle the
balance.
Ans: It depends on the institution. Many issuers do not charge any fees. However, banks and
other issuers will charge
additional fees on top of overdraft money.
Ans: If you are unable to pay off the negative balance, you can try to freeze or close the
account.
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