MoneyWatch: Managing Your Money
Can making a partial credit card payment prevent a charge-off?
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By
Angelica Leicht
A partial card payment may buy you some breathing room, but what happens next depends on how much you pay.
MoneyWatch: Managing Your Money
Can making a partial credit card payment prevent a charge-off?
We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms.
By
Angelica Leicht

Making the minimum payments keeps your card account current, but it doesn't keep you out of financial trouble.

Credit card hardship programs can ease the pressure, but enrolling may come with a serious tradeoff to consider.

A credit card charge-off won't wipe the slate clean, despite what it sounds like. Here's what happens instead.

Your minimum payment may be getting harder to cover, but you could have options to make it more manageable.

Falling behind by a payment or two may not seem serious, but your options could narrow if you aren't proactive.

A hardship plan could make your monthly credit card bill easier to manage, but the savings can vary widely.