Last Updated on 10/04/2017 by GS Staff
[otw_shortcode_dropcap label=”A:” size=”large” border_color_class=”otw-no-border-color”][/otw_shortcode_dropcap] If you look at your credit card, you will notice that it contains a month and year for the expiration date. A specific date is commonly not reflected on the credit card. So, does a credit card expire at the beginning or end of the month?
When Does a Credit Card Expire
A credit card expires at the end of the month. For example, if a credit card reflects the expiration is 10/2019, the card would expire after October 31, 2019 ended. On November 1st, you would no longer be able to use that credit card because it expired.
Getting a New Credit Card
Typically, the credit card company will automatically issue you a new card prior to the expiration date of your existing card. Your new credit card will be mailed approximately 4 to 8 weeks prior to your expiration date. You should contact the credit card company if the expiration date is rapidly approaching and you haven’t been issued a new card.
Does Expiration Mean Cancellation
When your credit card expires, your account will still remain open. You need to call the credit card company and have your account closed if you wished to do so. An expired credit card does not mean your account is cancelled.
Why Credit Cards Expire
Credit card companies realize your existing card will get beat up over time. They issue you a new credit card to refresh your likely weathered old card. If you are like me, your pretty thankful to have that shiny new card arrive in the mail.
Another reason credit cards expire is for security reasons. Think about how much additional credit card fraud would exist if credit cards never expired. A thief would just have to find any lost or misplaced credit card and start making charges. An expiration date eliminates the ability for someone to use the credit card well into the future.
Disposing of the Old Credit Card
You should dispose of your old credit card properly to avoid identity theft. It is not a good idea to toss your whole card in the trash. You should cut it up and throw it away in pieces on at least two separate trash days. You want to throw away the pieces so that someone cannot determine the original numbers on the credit card. See an example on how to cut up a credit card here.
Final Thoughts
The credit card companies do not want to lose you as a customer. They have too much to gain from your transactions. The majority of credit card companies make it a simple process to obtain a new credit card. If your card expired and you did not receive a new card or were not notified in any way of the expiration, you should not hesitate to contact the credit card company. You want to avoid a situation of fraud or the potential inconvenience of not having a valid credit card to use for purchases once the expiration date has passed.
Image Credit: Frankieleon / Via Flickr
