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Featured Average Daily Balance Finance Charge Calculation Method

Average Daily Balance Finance Charge Calculation Method

Balance Finance Charge. Finance charges refer to the fees you pay for missing your payment. Credit Card issuers have different ways of calculating finance charges. One of the most popular ways is the Average Daily Balance Method.
Knowing how your credit card issuer calculates your finance charge can help you estimate the amount of interest you’ll pay. You can check your credit card billing statement or call your credit card issuer to find out if your credit card issuer uses the average daily balance method for calculating finance charges.

 

How it Works

The average daily balance method uses your balance during the billing cycle multiplied by the APR for that balance. This method can be less expensive compared to some other finance charge calculation methods. Your average daily balance is the sum of your balance on each day of the billing divided by the number of days in the billing cycle.

Here is the calculation for the average daily balance method: average daily balance * APR * days in billing cycle / 365

Calculating the Average Daily Balance

If you want to calculate your own finance charge, you have to know your credit card balance for each day of the billing cycle. While your credit card statement won’t list each day’s credit card balance, you can use your statement (or your online transaction log) to figure out the balance. Start with the balance at the beginning of the billing cycle. Then, add or subtract from the balance each day you have a new transaction.

Let’s say your APR is 12% and your billing cycle is 25 days long.

You started the billing cycle with a balance of $100. On Day 4, you made a $100 purchase. On Day 20, a $25 payment was credited to your account. Your daily balance for each day during the billing cycle would be:

First Day – 3: $100
Day 4 – 20: $200 ($100 purchase)
Day 20 – 25: $175 ($25 credit)

To calculate your average daily balance you must total your balance from each day in the billing cycle (even the days that your balance didn’t change) and divide the total by the number of days in the cycle.

(Day 1 Balance + Day 2 Balance + Day 3 Balance…) / number of days in the billing cycle

$4575 / 25 = $183

Calculating the Average Daily Balance Finance Charge

Calculating the average daily balance finance charge is the most important part. From there, you simply multiply by your credit card’s APR and the number of days in the billing cycle to calculate the finance charge.

Based on the details listed above, your finance charge using the average daily balance method would be:
$183 * .12 * 25 / 365 = $1.50
If you continue making minimum payments and no additional charges on this account, you’d pay $18.00 in finance charges over the course of a year.

Why Does the Billing Cycle Matter?

Credit card companies state your interest rate in terms of an annual percentage rate, or APR. However, you are not charged interest on an annual basis. You’re charged interest periodically based on your billing cycle. Including the billing cycle in the finance charge calculation ensures you are charged interest only for that specific period of time you missed your payment.

Balances With Different APRs

If you have balances with different APRs on your credit card, the finance charge for these balances is calculated separately. So, you’ll have a finance charge for purchases, one for balance transfers, and one for cash advances if you had all these balances on your credit card. Thus, if you’re calculating your own finance charge, you will have to calculate the average daily balance separately for each.

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