12 credit card myths debunked

Credit cards attract a lot of home-baked advice. If you’ve received a few tips recently, do your research: The truth may surprise you.

Here are 12 credit card myths that are especially prevalent in the industry. Just by knowing the facts, you’ll be way ahead of the game.

1. Myth: You must pay an annual fee to get a credit card.

One reason many people stay away from credit cards is because they’re worried about paying an annual fee. However, you can find many credit cards with no annual fees. Several of them offer great perks even rivaling those of annual-fee cards.

2. Myth: It’s never a good idea to get a secured or store card.

Secured cards get a bad rap because they’re different from “normal” unsecured credit cards. And many people don’t hold store cards in high esteem, either.

But both card types can be especially useful for consumers who have trouble getting most other cards. Issuers of secured and store cards are generally more willing to take on customers with less-than-perfect credit.

Once you get a store or secured card, you can slowly build your credit by making payments on time. Once you’ve increased your credit score, apply for an unsecured card.

3. Myth: Using a credit card is largely detrimental.

Building strong credit is one of the most beneficial financial moves you can do for yourself. Credit plays an important role in many of the big decisions you’ll need to make in life, such as choosing a mortgage or car loan. Plus, the best credit cards out there can score you big rewards just for using them. What’s more, credit cards are one of the safest ways to pay for things – even more so than cash. No wonder there are nearly 480 million credit card accounts in the US.

4. Myth: I got a credit card when I was 17, so my teen can too.

That’s not entirely inaccurate, but it’s not the whole truth. By current credit card laws, the minimum age to get a credit card without help is 18. Even then, those under 21 must prove their ability to pay their card bill independently.

It’s still possible for underage teens to get a credit card, but only if someone adds them to a card account as an authorized user.

5. Myth: Forget about American Express — you can’t use it anywhere.

Back in the day, you might have seen plenty of signs that read, “Sorry, we don’t accept American Express.” There’s a long story for why that was the case, but it essentially boils down to American Express charging retailers high fees.

Though it’s true that fewer retailers accept American Express than Visa or Mastercard — the most widely accepted networks in the world — American Express has been gaining ground.

6. Myth: You should carry a balance on your card and only pay the minimum.

This is one of the most pervasive credit card myths, and it’s dangerous. Many people give this advice claiming it’ll help your credit. In reality, carrying a balance doesn’t help your credit score. Not paying your balance in full actually lowers your score because it increases your credit utilization ratio.

One argument for keeping a balance on your card is to show lenders you’re using your credit. You should certainly keep your credit card active, but that doesn’t mean you have to maintain a balance. Just use your credit card at least every one to three months.

7. Myth: Never use your credit card online.

You may think using your credit card online isn’t safe because your information could be stolen. The truth is, it can be very safe to shop online with a card as long as you follow a few precautions.

In fact, it’s better to use your credit card than your debit card for online shopping. If there are fraudulent purchases on your credit card, you can easily reverse them by contacting your card issuer. It’s more difficult to do so with a debit card.

8. Myth: Don’t sign the back of your credit card.

Ask some people the question, “Should I sign the back of my credit card?” and they’ll tell you no. Instead, they’ll advise you to write “See ID” in the place where your signature should be.

The idea is if a thief steals your card and uses it at a cash register, the merchant will ask for their ID. Seeing that the thief doesn’t have a matching ID, the merchant will refuse to process the transaction.

That sounds great in theory, but oftentimes merchants don’t look at the backs of cards. Furthermore, low-dollar transactions may not require a signature at all.

9. Myth: You can build a perfect credit score very quickly.

Yes, there’s a link between credit cards and credit scores. Keep debt low on your card and make on-time payments consistently, and you’ll likely see your credit score steadily go up. But improving your credit takes time — usually a long time.

You might hear stories from people who get a great credit score in as little as a month. But their experience isn’t necessarily going to be yours, and there’s no hack or quick fix.

The perfect credit score is 850, and it’s not easy to achieve. You must have been working with credit for many years through credit cards, loans and other forms of credit, have no late payments and carry a very low balance on your cards.

10. Myth: Maxing out your credit card is no big deal.

While you won’t necessarily see a financial penalty for maxing out your credit card, doing so can ultimately harm your credit score. That’s because your credit score is affected by a figure called your credit utilization. This number tells credit bureaus how much of your available credit you’re using each month.

Scoring a high percentage can make it look like you’re in financial straits, reckless with your money or otherwise a lending risk. As a result, your credit score will take a hit.

11. Myth: You’ll always have the same APR from when you signed up for your card.

You may be excited to see your initial APR when you get your card. But be careful: It might not last forever.

Many people forget about the introductory APR, which is a special interest rate you get when you sign up for a card. If a card offers “0% APR on purchases for 12 months,” you won’t pay interest for a year. But if you still carry a balance after that time, you’ll start paying interest.

Beyond intro APRs, card issuers have other ways to change your interest rate. Here are the ways they can do so:

• You’re late on your payments. If you’re delinquent on your bill, your issuer may assess a penalty APR — typically around 30%. This interest rate could apply to your existing and new balances.
• Your APR is pegged to the prime rate. Your issuer will probably give you a variable interest rate that changes based on the prime rate. This is the interest rate banks give to their largest, most creditworthy clients. Unfortunately, this is pretty much out of your hands.
• The issuer deems you a higher-risk member. From time to time, your issuer assesses your risk profile. If it sees red flags — such as a big drop in your credit score — it may raise your APR. Before it does, however, it must notify you at least 45 days in advance.
• You’ve been a cardholder for at least 12 months and your issuer wants to raise your rates. As long as your issuer gives you at least 45 days’ notice, it can change your APR.

The Credit CARD Act of 2009 introduced many changes that protected consumers in the credit card industry. One of them is the requirement of a 45-day advance notice for most APR changes.

12. Myth: You can exceed your credit limit as long as you pay your balance before your due date.

Another howler to round out our list of credit card myths — and you should ditch it fast. Though your card issuer may not decline a purchase that puts you above your credit limit, that doesn’t mean you should make it.

Earlier, we talked about how your issuer can assess a penalty APR if you pay late. It can do the same thing if you exceed your credit limit. Furthermore, it may assess an overlimit fee, which will typically set you back $25 to $40.

Lastly, going over your credit limit could negatively impact your credit score, which you always want to protect when possible.

Bottom line

Before following any credit advice, do your own additional research.

Try to stay within your credit limit and watch out for fees, card theft, APR changes and other slowdowns on your way to excellent credit. You don’t want to pay for a costly credit mistake for years after following questionable advice.

Now that you’ve left the credit card myths behind, find a card that’s right for you.