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How to get a USAA cash advance
Use your credit card to get cash from your credit limit.
USAA cardholders can easily access cash via an ATM withdrawal or at a bank branch. Despite the simplicity of the process, this is an expensive transaction with high fees and interest that accrues from the date of the transaction.
Luckily, USAA charges no cash advance fee if you make an electronic transfer to your USAA deposit account. With a credit score to envy — you can potentially get low interest rates and make this type of cash advance transaction more affordable.
How to get a USAA card cash advance
Once you have a USAA cash advance, here’s how to get a cash advance:
- Call 800-531-2265 and request a PIN for your card if you don’t have one.
- Go to participating ATMs.
- Enter the amount you wish to withdraw.
What purchases does USAA consider cash advance?
Cash withdrawals from an ATM or a bank teller are the most common cash advance transactions. But other transactions are also considered as a cash advance. These are:
- Convenience check
- Gaming chips
- Lottery tickets
- Money orders
- Funds transfer into a deposit account
- Travelers’ checks
USAA cash advance fee
Compared to other card providers, USAA has a lower cash advance fee and potentially lower interest. However, your APR depends on the card and your creditworthiness. For cash advance transactions expect to pay:
- A 3% fee of the amount
- A variable APR of 8.40% to 25.40%
A $500 USAA ATM cash withdrawal comes with:
- $15 cash advance fee
- $3 ATM fee (depending on the ATM)
- $11 interest max if paid after 30 days
- Total cost: $529
USAA cash advance vs. funds transfer fees
Here’s how much it would cost to get a $500 cash advance with either an ATM withdrawal or using an electronic funds transfer to a USAA deposit.
| ATM withdrawal | Electronic funds transfer to USAA deposit account | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | $500 | $500 |
| Cash advance fee | $15 | $0 |
| ATM fee | $3 | $0 |
| 30-day cash advance APR | $3 to $11, depending on creditworthiness and credit card | $3 to $11, depending on creditworthiness and credit card |
| Total | $521 to $529 | $506 to $514 |
Cash advances are expensive
If you can help it, you should avoid performing a cash advance when possible. You should reserve cash advances strictly for emergencies when you don’t have other cash alternatives. If you do need to take out a cash advance, use our cash advance calculator to determine how much you’ll need to pay for the advance in total.
Cash advance alternatives
Thanks to the fees and high interest rate, cash advances are always a poor choice when you need cash. If you’re looking to stretch out your finances, have a look at 0% APR credit cards or balance transfer credit cards. These cards can let you make purchases interest free for a certain period, or transfer your existing debt to a card with an interest free period, respectively.
Bottom line
USAA cash advances are cheaper compared to other card providers. Typically, because of the high fees and interest, cash advances are best used for emergencies or when there’s no other alternative. But if you have excellent credit and you move your funds to your USAA deposit account, USAA cash advances could be worth considering.
If you want to check out more credit cards with $0 cash advance fees and with low cash advance APR, compare these options until you find the right fit for your wallet.
Read more about cash advances from different banks
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