Hi there, my friend.
I'm proof that you don't have to be perfect to have a very, very, very good credit score.
I've been late on credit card payments more times than I'd like to admit, and my score is still above 800.
How does that work? I thought paying late even once could wreck your credit.
It definitely can. One late payment can take 50 or more points off of your credit score, which can be devastating to your chances of getting the best terms on your next loan. It could even keep you from qualifying at all.
However, not all late payments are reflected in your credit report. Generally, a credit card issuer won’t report a payment as delinquent to the credit bureaus until it’s at least 30 days past due
Thirty days? Really? That’s a long time!
It sure is. It means you have far more margin for error than you think you do when it comes to making payments. That’s really important for people to understand, especially today when high interest rates and stubborn inflation have shrunk Americans’ financial wiggle room down to almost nothing. If you’re a few days late in paying your bill during a challenging time, it likely isn’t going to affect your credit.
That’s why I’m still able to have really good credit. In all the times I’ve been a little tardy with my bill, it has never been by more than a few days.
Now, don’t get me wrong, please. I’m absolutely not recommending that you ever pay late with your credit card or another bill. That’s a dangerous game to play, especially when you factor in late fees, and it is something to be avoided whenever possible. What I am saying, however, is that paying a few days late every once in a while because of forgetfulness, a technology glitch or a short-term financial rough patch isn’t going to send your credit score plunging.
Believe me, I’ve seen it myself.
I’m also proof that credit card issuers will often waive your late fee when you make a late payment. As I detail in this excerpt from my book, “Ask Questions, Save Money, Make More: How To Take Control Of Your Financial Life,” I’ve seen it firsthand many times…
I have more experience asking credit card companies to waive late fees than I’d like to admit, and almost every attempt has succeeded.
Here’s how it goes.
Apply for and receive a brand-new credit card to take advantage of awesome signup bonus.
Use the card to hit the minimum-spend threshold needed for the signup bonus.
Forget to set up automatic payments.
Realize a day or two late that I’ve missed the payment deadline on the new card.
Feel dumb that I allowed this to happen — again.
Go online, pay the bill, and set up autopay to avoid a repeat situation in a month.
Call the 800-number on the back of the card and apologize for paying late.
Tell the customer service rep that I just submitted full payment and set up autopay.
Ask them to waive the late fee and any interest accrued.
Rep: “Sure, we can waive that for you.”
Thank the rep profusely, wish them a great day, and hang up, relieved at saving $30.
Promise myself that I won’t do it again-knowing full well that I will
I’ve lost count of how many times the above has happened. I’ve made that call to most of the biggest card issuers in the country. It always feels embarrassing, but it’s important not to let that feeling keep you from making the same call. After all, that $30—or $40 for repeat offenders—isn’t life-changing money, but that doesn’t mean the bank should get it, either.
What to say to get your way
Can you relate to any of the above, or is it just me? (I fully get that it might just be me.) Still, the request to waive a late fee can be a really simple one. Sometimes you don’t even need to speak to anyone to get it waived, which I wrote about here…
That said, in most cases, you’ll still likely have to engage with an actual human being to get out of paying that late fee.
Here’s what you can say…
"Hi, I was a little late making my credit card payment and was charged a late fee. I've now paid the bill, and I was wondering if you'd be willing to waive the fee and any interest charges related to the late payment."
That’s really about it. If you want to tell them you have a long, spotless history and that this was just a one-time mistake, fine. If you want to let them know that you’ve set up autopay so it won’t happen again, that’s great, too. Neither is probably necessary, but they certainly can’t hurt either.
A 2026 LendingTree survey found that 92% of people who asked for a credit card late fee to be waived in the past year got their way. That’s the highest in the six years that we’ve asked the question. However, even in the worst year of that period, the success rate was still 81%, which tells you that this is just something that banks do. It also tells you that you don’t need a perfect credit score, a long track record or an inside person at the bank to get a deal. You often just need to ask.
Of course, it won’t always work. For example, if you’ve been late several times in a relatively short window, they’re probably not going to be too keen to cut you some slack. For most other people, however, if you only ask once in a blue moon, the odds are ever in your favor.
Until next time!
Matt