Calculation of Interest on Revolving Debt

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Mark Cappel

UpdatedJul 22, 2024

What is the difference between simple interest and revolving interest charged on a credit card?

Credit card debt is referred to as "revolving" credit because - unlike a mortgage, for example - it allows the borrower to carry a balance from month to month with no fixed number of payments set to pay off the balance. Additionally, a borrower can continuously add to the debt, up to a set credit limit. All the credit card company typically requires in return is a minimum monthly payment, most of which is just a payment on the interest owed, with as little as 5% or less going towards reducing the principle.

Revolving credit card debt is the source of many individuals' financial difficulties (and profits for credit card companies). Someone who routinely pays only the minimum monthly payment will be making little or no headway towards reducing the balance of their debt and can eventually find themselves with major financial problems.

A good way to avoid this trap is to pay off your credit card balance in full every month. At the very least, pay it down as quickly as possible to keep the accruing interest to minimum.

Creating, and sticking to, a budget can also help to keep you out of trouble. If are looking for a free tool to help you budget, Bills.com offers a free personal financial guide online at www.bills.com/guide/.

Best of luck and I hope this information helps you Find. Learn. Save.

Best,

Bill

www.bills.com/

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Struggling with debt?

Mortgages, credit cards, student loans, personal loans, and auto loans are common types of debts. According to the NY Federal Reserve total household debt as of Q1 2024 was $17.69 trillion. Housing debt totaled $12.82 trillion and non-housing debt was $4.88 trillion.

A significant percentage of people in the US are struggling with monthly payments and about 26% of households in the United States have debt in collections. According to data gathered by Urban.org from a sample of credit reports, the median debt in collections is $1,739. Credit card debt is prevalent and 3% have delinquent or derogatory card debt. The median debt in collections is $422.

Each state has its rate of delinquency and share of debts in collections. For example, in Tennessee credit card delinquency rate was 4%, and the median credit card debt was $394.

Avoiding collections isn’t always possible. A sudden loss of employment, death in the family, or sickness can lead to financial hardship. Fortunately, there are many ways to deal with debt including an aggressive payment plan, debt consolidation loan, or a negotiated settlement.

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4 Comments

BBill, May, 2009

Marlene, you should check your credit report to see what the status of that account is. If there is a civil suit being filed, you should receive a summons to appear in court from the court where the case is being file. If you have received the summons then it is imperative that you file a reply and appear for the hearing as failure to do so will lead to a default judgment being filed against you which will lead to possible wage garnishments, depending on your state law. If the case has not yet been initiated, then you still have time to negotiate a lower settlement with them. $3000 is a good amount. One other thing that you might want to check before is the Statute of Limitations on that debt account, you can check for your state information here: https://www.bills.com/collection-laws/. If the debt is older than the statute of limitations, then you need not pay them anything as, even if they file a court case, the judge will see that the statute has expired and will dismiss the case. Simply put, you need to check the last transaction date as per your credit report and see how long it has been since then. In some states the SOL is for 4 years and in other states it is 10 years.

MMarlene Matthews, May, 2009

I have an outstanding line of credit for $10,700, which I have not paid on since 2002. I received a call stating that there is a civil complaint being filed against me. This was a processing agency who states they can neg with me. I found out that this will fall off my credit report in 12/09. I cant afford more than $3000.00 what else can they do @ this time. I am single mother of 3 children with very limited funds and I have other credit cards debt of $16000.oo which I am paying on now. Is bankruptcy a solution for me. I also have a mort, which I owe more than it is worth.

BBill, Apr, 2009

For the first part of your question, its better if you close some of the accounts that have had no activity for a long time. Closing these accounts with have a slight short term impact, but it will not do much with your score.As for as your husband is concerned, you should be able to see which of the accounts caused this delinquency right on the report. it is better that you get a report directly from the bureaus and not a 3rd party one. You can get a free copy by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com

MMissia Whaley, Apr, 2009

My credit report indicates that I have too much revolving credit. I have several old cards that I haven't used in years. Should I cancel them or will this hurt my available credit? If I cancel them will this improve my credit score or have no effect. Also, my husband's credit score is lower than mine and his report says, "level of delinquency on accounts." What does this mean? I do not recall ever being late on a card payment. Does it include bill payments by check that had nothing to do with credit cards? The bank made an error to our account once and caused a check to bounce. The bank president sent a letter to the power company to "clear our name." How do I find out what this delinquency is so that I can possibly dispute it. Thank you for your help!