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If you’re looking for a basic card to get approved for with bad credit, the Milestone® Gold Mastercard® could help.
It offers simple benefits like 24/7 access to online accounts and Mastercard services like Global Service, price protection and travel assistance. But take care with potentially steep interest rates and fees.
| Product Name | Milestone® Gold Mastercard® |
|---|---|
| Card Type | Mastercard |
| Annual Fee | $75 intro annual fee for the first year ($99 thereafter) |
| APR (Annual Percentage Rate) for Purchases | 23.9% variable |
| Introductory Purchase APR | N/A |
| Intro Balance Transfer APR | N/A |
| Cash Advance Rate | 29.9% variable |
| Cash Advance Fee | $5 or 5% of the cash advance amount, whichever is greater |
| Interest Free Period | Up to 25 days |
| Late Payment Fee | $38 |
| Returned Payment Fee | $38 |
| Additional Cardholder Fee | $0 |
| Minimum Age | 18 years of age |
|---|
The basics
If you are trying to improve your credit, hard checks on your credit can negatively affect your score. But applying for the Milestone® Gold Mastercard® won’t affect your credit at all. In fact, you can prequalify online with even poor credit.
As far as benefits go, the Milestone® Gold Mastercard® is relatively light. But it offers 24/7 online access to your account and the advantages that come with owning a Mastercard. And if you’re trying to build or rebuild your credit, you’ll appreciate regular reports of your responsible spending to all three major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.
You’ll pay an annual fee of $75 to use this card for the first year and $99 each year thereafter. And in addition to keeping up with card payments, you’ll want to avoid cash advances: The penalty APR for late payments and cash advances are a steep 23.9% variable. Activating overlimit coverage also comes with fees.
The benefits
- Prequalify without affecting your credit.
Most card applications require a hard pull on your credit. But preapproval for the Milestone® Gold Mastercard® comes with no impact on your credit. - 24/7 access to account and bill pay.
Manage your account and pay your statements online whenever you’d like. - Mastercard Gold benefits.
Access the Mastercard suite of benefits that include Global Service, price protection and travel assistance. - Reports payment history to credit bureaus.
Build or rebuild your credit through everyday spending, with your payment history reported to Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. - Optional over-limit protection.
Pay a fee for coverage that prevents declined transactions if you exceed your account balance.
What to watch out for
- No credit limit increases.
In multiple reviews, customers have complained that the card doesn’t offer any credit limit increases, so they were stuck with their original $300 credit limit — not including the annual fee. - Penalty APR.
If you make a late payment, your purchase APR may be increased to the penalty APR of 29.9% variable. For your APR to be reverted to the original rate, you’ll need to pay six consecutive monthly minimum payments on time. - Annual fee.
There are two tiers for annual fees. The first is $75 annually. The second is $99 annually thereafter. - Authorized user fee.
If you want to add another user who is authorized to make charges to your account, you’ll need to pay. - Late payment fee.
The late payment fee is applied when the amount past due is more than $9.99. You will be charged the reduced fee of $27 if you weren’t assessed a late fee during any of the previous six billing cycles. Otherwise, you will be charged $38. On the plus side, a late fee will never be more than your current monthly minimum payment. - Returned payment fee.
This fee follows the same structure as the late fee: $27 if you weren’t charged a returned payment fee during the previous six billing cycles — otherwise the charge is $38. - Documentation fee.
If you’d like to receive an old statement, you’ll be charged per statement. If you’d like to receive copies of sales tickets, you’ll be charged $10 per ticket. - No grace period on cash advances.
Be careful with cash advances — they begin accruing interest on approval. - No balance transfers.
The Milestone® Gold Mastercard® won’t allow you to transfer or consolidate debt from other cards.
What should I know before I apply?
To apply for the Milestone® Gold Mastercard®, you must be at least 18 years old and a resident of the United States.
Always consider your options and your financial situation before you apply for a credit card.
Information you’ll need
- Full name and contact information
- Residential status
- Annual income, source of income and employment information
- Social Security number and date of birth
What do customers say about Milestone® Gold Mastercard®?
Customer reviews for the Milestone® Gold Mastercard® vary drastically online. Among the more positive reviews, people have sited how it’s an easy card to get if you have poor credit. In order to get the most out of the card, they report how they keep a low balance on it and pay it off on time every month in order to hopefully get approved for a better card later on down the road after they’ve built up their credit history.
However, others complain about high APRs and annual fees, as well as no credit increases. Some customers were unhappy with how long it took them to actually get the card after they’d applied for it and gotten approved — with many saying it took over two months to receive the card in the mail. There are also multiple reports of poor customer service — whether it’s calling them to ask where their card is after getting approved for it, or having an issue closing their account down. You should also be wary of getting billed for extra charges, with one reviewer stating they were charged a $38 over-limit fee even though they never signed up for the over-limit coverage.
How to apply for the Milestone® Gold Mastercard®?
- Click the green Go to Genesis FS Card Services’ Website button.
- Complete the application form with your name, address, Social Security number, birthdate and phone number.
- Read the privacy policy and Consent to Electronic Communications disclosure, and then click the box saying you’ve read each.
- Click the green Pre-Qualify Now button.
How long will it take to be approved?
You’ll likely receive a decision immediately after you apply. If there are issues with your application, however, you may have to wait up to a few weeks for a decision.
I got the card. Now what?
- Make on-time payments each month.
Pay your bill every month online, or sign up for automatic payments. - Avoid late and returned payment fees.
Try to pay your bill on time in order to avoid late and returned payment fees that could be as high as $38, as well as potentially having your APR increased to 29.9% variable. - Don’t go over your credit limit.
If you elect to activate over-limit coverage, you may be charged a fee if you exceed your credit limit. You’ll be charged $27 if you did not have a fee in any of your previous six billing cycles; otherwise, the charge is $38. If you exceed your credit limit, pay off your balance until it’s at least under the limit. The penalty for not doing so is severe: You may be charged two more over-limit fees. - Customer service.
If you have any questions about your bill, contact the customer service department seven days a week by calling 1-866-453-2636 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific time.
Bottom line
If you have poor credit and have found it hard to get approved for other credit cards, then the Milestone® Gold Mastercard® may be an option for you. However, with an annual fee, high APR and expensive late and returned payment fees, this credit card could easily become more money than it’s worth. Also keep in mind that customers have sited being stuck with its original minimum credit limit of just $300 and have complained about poor customer service, too. As always, you should consider your different options and your financial situation before you apply for any one credit card.
How much is the overlimit fee?
Hi Latrondra,
Thanks for your question. Overlimit fee is upto $38. That is, if you’d been charged overlimit fee during the last six billing cycles, it will be $38. Otherwise, the overlimit fee will be $27. Kindly note that you may be charged two additional overlimit fees if your new balance remains over your credit limit as of the payment due date in future Billing Cycles. You may click the “More Info” link above for more details.
Kind regards,
Liezl