If your credit card bill is rising rapidly every month and you’re struggling with the stress of high interest rates, a credit card balance transfer can be a remarkable relief! Banks often offer tempting offers like zero percent or very low interest rates for a few months. This sounds great, but is it always the right decision? To determine whether you should transfer your credit card balance, let’s understand this important financial tool in simple terms.
What is a credit card balance transfer
Balance transfer simply means transferring a large balance from your old credit card, which carries a high interest rate, to another card or a low-cost loan. The new card or loan you take out offers a significantly lower interest rate, and you repay the amount in easy installments.
The bank clears your old card balance in full, but you now have to make payments according to the terms of the new card or loan. The biggest advantage is that you completely avoid the trap of high interest rates. Furthermore, if you have different balances on multiple cards, you can merge them all into one account. Making a single payment on the same date makes payments convenient and easy to track.
Dangerous Pitfalls of Balance Transfers That Can Hurt Your CIBIL Score
As attractive as balance transfers may seem, they also have some hidden pitfalls that are crucial to consider, especially when it comes to your CIBIL score. They often involve processing fees and hidden charges, which can range from 1%-3% or a flat fee. Sometimes, the 0% interest offer applies only to the transferred amount, and new purchases will incur interest at the normal card rate. If you fail to repay the full balance within the promotional period, the new interest burden may suddenly increase, making it even more burdensome.
If you use the full limit of the new card, your credit utilization will increase, and your CIBIL score may drop immediately. Opening a new card triggers a hard inquiry, which can slightly lower your score. Closing the old card immediately can also be detrimental, as it reduces the average age of your credit account, which is detrimental to your credit score.
Impact on CIBIL Score and How to Make the Right Decision
Your CIBIL score can be affected in several ways after a credit card balance transfer. First, consider credit utilization, which means how much you owe compared to the card limit. It’s best to keep it around 30%. As mentioned earlier, opening a new card results in a hard inquiry, which can slightly lower your score, and closing an old card reduces your average age. But the biggest factor is your payment history. If payments aren’t made on time after the transfer, your credit score will be immediately affected.
Key points when transferring a balance
Before transferring a balance, carefully consider the promotional interest rate and its term. It’s crucial to calculate the total interest rate after accounting for processing fees, prepayment penalties, and hidden charges. Don’t close your old card immediately after receiving a new card. Instead, keep it underutilized to maintain a healthy credit utilization. Be moderate in making new purchases on the new card so your credit utilization doesn’t increase. Set up auto-payments to avoid missing bills.