There are many things that your bank fails to tell you when have a credit card with them. One of the biggest things that they neglect to tell you about is the truth about interest rates and just what they can do with them. Before getting a credit card with your bank you need to be well educated on interest rates and what the rules are with them.
First and foremost don’t get pulled in by the claim of interest free time if you transfer the balance from one card to the new credit card. What they neglect to tell you is that only the balance of the other credit card is subject to the interest free period. Any new purchases that you make will be charged interest and this can be misleading for many as they do not read the fine print.
Another thing that the bank may not tell you is that they can raise the interest rate on your credit card if you late with payments for other cards. You need to be sure that you make all of your payments on time so you can avoid these unwanted increases in your interest rate. This is known as the universal default clause and it is becoming a general rule for most credit lenders.
Another thing that most people are not aware of is that the bank has no limit set on the amount they can charge you on a late payment. Even if it is just one hour late the fees can be as little as $5 and as high as $30, sometimes even higher then that. The amount of credit a bank will give you and the amount of the interest rate you will be assessed is based on your FICO score. This is the score a person gets from their credit history. Lenders such as banks and credit card companies look at the amount of dent that you have and how many times you have been late on your payment history.
Banks do not tell you that there is no federal limit as to what interest can be charged on a credit card. You need to be sure that you read the tine print to know exactly what you are getting into with any loan or credit card that you obtain. Be sure to talk things over with your bank prior to signing any papers. You need to know what you are getting into completely before the final signing of the papers.
There is usually a 3 day waiting period when a loan is processed. This is to allow you the opportunity to cancel the transaction. This is the only window you have in which to rescind the loan or credit. Again, this is something you need to discuss with the bank prior to signing the final papers. You need to know what all of your rights are and what penalties that the bank will instill for breaks in the signed agreement.