Table of Contents
How do Cash Advances Work
What’s the price?
If It Doesn’t Require Cash
When Does It Make Sense?
The Bottom Line
Personal Finance Credit Cards
Can You Withdraw Money from a Credit Card?
Cash advances from credit cards offer instant access to cash, but they are expensive.
By Rebecca Lake
Updated June 06, 2021
Reviewed by Thomas J. Catalano
If you require cash in the event of an emergency, or to pay your bills, you could be wondering if you can take it out of your credit card. Many credit card companies do permit you to withdraw money from your account via a cash advance. While it can be useful when you need it however, cash advances come with a few drawbacks that you should consider. When making use of your credit card to access cash, you must weigh the pros and cons.
The most important takeaways
Many credit card companies allow you to withdraw money from your account via the cash advance.
Depending on the cardyou use, you may be able to withdraw cash by putting it into a bank account, using your ATM card or writing a convenient check.
Cash advances may have higher APRs than balance transfers, purchases or purchases and, as they are credited with interest, it begins to accrue on them right away. Additionally, they are often subject to fees.
How do Cash Advances on Credit Cards work
Typically, credit cards are meant to be used for making purchases. For instance, you use your credit card when you check out at the store or enter your card number and expiration date to buy things online. When you purchase something, your available credit is reduced by that amount until you pay off your credit card charge.
Credit card cash advances work differently. If your card permits these (and not all cards do) there’s a chance that you’ll have a limit on credit for purchases and a separate limit for cash advances that is typically lower than your purchase limit. When you take the cash advance you are borrowing against this credit limit.
What’s more, cash advances begin earning interest instantly, unlike purchases, which typically allow an additional grace period of 20 to 30 days in which to pay off your bill prior to interest accruing.
There are several methods to get an advance in cash, such as:
You can request a cash transfer using your card into your bank account
Cash withdrawal at an ATM
Writing a convenience check to yourself, and then cashing it at the bank
You should be able identify the cash advance limit you have by looking through your most recent statement from your credit card. If you aren’t able to find it, you can call your credit card company to ask whether cash advances are a possibility on your card, and in the event that they are, what your limit is.
How Much Does it Cost to withdraw cash from a Credit Card?
Cash advances aren’t free. There are several expenses to consider when you take one.
There’s first the cash advance charge. It’s a charge that the credit card company charges for the convenience of withdrawing money against your cash advance limit. It may be either an unrestricted cost, like $5-10, or a percentage of the advance of amount, whichever is the greater. The amount may differ from card to card.
There is also the possibility of paying additional charges if you withdraw cash from a credit card an ATM or bank branch. There is an ATM surcharge might be applicable, or you might be required to pay a teller fee for this convenience.
The second element of the cash advance cost equation refers to the annual percentage rate (APR). Most of the time the cash advance rate is higher than the standard APR for purchases or balance transfers. And, as mentioned above interest accrues immediately.
It is important to keep this in mind if you’re looking for a cost-effective method to get cash. In comparison to a personal loan like a cash advance an advance in cash, it could result in a more expensive interest rate.
As with purchases, there’s no grace period for cash advances. Interest begins accumulating right away.
When Cash Advances Do Not Require Cash
In certain instances transactions, they can be regarded as cash advances even if you’re not transferring cash. For example, if , for instance, you link your credit card to the bank account to provide overdraft protection , any funds used to cover overdrafts could be considered to be a cash advance. You may also find that certain transactions, like the use of your credit card to purchase cryptocurrency, are regarded as cash advances instead of purchases.
This is why it’s helpful to read the terms and conditions thoroughly so that you are aware of what is and isn’t a cash advance.
If you pay on your credit card bill the minimum balance due will be applied to your regular purchase balance first. Any additional payments are applied to the balance that has the highest APR next. So if you already have a balance for purchases on your card, you may have to pay the balance in complete before making any payments transferred to the cash advance.1
When is it a good idea to withdraw cash from the credit card?
The option of withdrawing money from your credit card might appear to be a viable alternative if you’re in a bind financially. For example when your car is broken down and you have to pay a tow truck company that doesn’t accept credit cards, it could be the only option.
But if the situation isn’t critical, you might want to research alternatives to get cash since the cost of a credit card loan could be costly. For instance, you might consider:
Applying for an unsecured personal loan
The borrowing of money from family or friends
Incorporating an equity home loan
Indrawing funds from an IRA or taking a 401(k) withdrawal or loan
Liquidating CDs or selling off other assets to raise funds
These options all have pros and cons, just like a credit card cash advance. For retirement accounts, like is a simple way to get money, but it could trigger tax penalties. If it does however, you’re still reducing your retirement nest egg. Home equity loans are a great option for low-interest rates, but you’re also putting your house on the line as collateral. Borrowing from friends and family can bring money into your pocket without interest, but it can cause problems with your relationship when you don’t pay it back as agreed.
Note
Taking out a 401(k) loan essentially means borrowing money from your. But bear in mind that if you leave your job for reasons other than the loan is repaid and you’re required to repay it promptly or it will be treated as a tax-deductible dividend.
The Bottom Line
Cash advances from credit cards have certain advantages, however they can be expensive when as compared to other options to get money. If you require funds, but aren’t in a major situation, you should take the time to explore other options before committing to a credit card cash advance. If you do end up withdrawing cash from your card, try to pay off the balance as quickly as you can in order to limit the costs of interest.
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