Credit Card Statements, Average Daily Balance, Finance Charge

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What is a credit card statement?

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A credit card statement is a monthly summary of all transactions made on a credit card account, including purchases, payments, fees, and the total balance owed.

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What is the Average Daily Balance (ADB)?

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The Average Daily Balance is a method used to calculate finance charges on a credit card by averaging the daily balances over a billing cycle.

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How do you calculate the Average Daily Balance?

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To calculate the ADB, multiply each daily balance by the number of days it was held, sum these amounts, and then divide by the total number of days in the billing cycle.

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What is a finance charge?

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A finance charge is the cost of borrowing on a credit card, typically expressed as an annual percentage rate (APR) applied to the average daily balance.

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What does APR stand for?

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APR stands for Annual Percentage Rate, which is the yearly interest rate charged on borrowed money.

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If a credit card has an APR of 22.45%, what is the monthly interest rate?

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To find the monthly interest rate, divide the APR by 12. For 22.45%, the monthly rate is approximately 1.87%.

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What is the formula for calculating the finance charge?

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Finance Charge = Average Daily Balance x Monthly Interest Rate.

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What is the impact of making only minimum payments on a credit card?

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Making only minimum payments can lead to higher interest costs over time and prolong the debt repayment period.

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How do payments and credits affect the new balance on a credit card?

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Payments and credits reduce the previous balance, while new purchases increase it. The new balance is calculated as: New Balance = Previous Balance + New Purchases - Payments/Credits.

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What is the significance of FICO scores in credit card applications?

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FICO scores are used by lenders to assess a borrower's creditworthiness, influencing the approval of credit applications and the terms offered.