How to avoid paying too much in Credit Card Processing Fees

I’m sure as a business owner you have enough to do without having to figure out how Credit Card Interchange Fees work. The good new is it’s not that complicated. There are hundreds of different interchange fees, what is important is to understand that interchange is essentially the wholesale rate that banks charge each other in order to process a credit card or debit card transaction. It is the cost of doing business, usually around two percent of the transaction amount.

Although the card companies set interchange rates there are things you can do to help avoid paying too much.

Review Your Charges Annually

At least twice a year (generally every April and October), Visa and MasterCard re-assess their processes, regulations and fees then announce rate changes and new fees. Many times your existing provider will layer on additional rate increases above the Interchange adjustments. Call another provider, fax in your merchant statement and have your account analyzed to “catch” these hidden rate increases.

Use an Interchange Pass Through Program

In order to pay the lowest fees when processing credit cards, a merchant’s goal is to pay as close to interchange as possible. A merchant account that uses an Interchange Pass Through pricing method applies processing fees by adding a small percentage to the actual Interchange Rate for every transaction and all dues and assessments are passed through directly at cost. This ensures that you only pay the true interchange rate in addition to a small mark-up that goes to their merchant service provider. Many times your existing provider will layer on additional rate increases above the Interchange adjustments. Call another provider, fax in your merchant statement and have your account analyzed to “catch” these hidden rate increases.

Avoid Downgrades Whenever Possible

A downgrade occurs when a transaction falls to a higher rate then what your business may qualify for. Whenever possible swipe the card at the point of sale device in order to reduce fraud and qualify for your lowest rate. For those of you that own some sort of on-site service or repair business, invest in either a wireless credit card processing terminal or look at some of the newer solutions such as RoamPay or PayWare mobile which allow you to use your mobile phone as a point of sale device.

Obtain the Correct Billing Information

In order to avoid downgrades for Card Not Present Transactions always obtain the correct billing information for the card being used. Credit Card Companies use an Address Verification Service (AVS) for Domestic Cards to determine if the billing information you enter matches the Card you are keying in. Always collect the Billing Address of the Card including the Postal Code as well as the Card Verification Code. The Card Code is the 3 Digit Number at the end of the Signature Panel on the back of the card for Visa, MasterCard and Discover. For American Express it is the 4 digit number on the front right hand side of the card above the last 5 digits of the card number.

Make Sure your Point of Sale Device is Programmed Properly

If your Point of Sale Device is not prompting you for Billing Address information as well as the Card Code, contact your Merchant Service Provider right away to get your device updated in order to pass that information to the Credit Card Companies. Another way transactions can downgrade is if you do not Settle or Batch your transactions within 24 Hours of obtaining an Authorization. Virtually all point of sale devices have the ability to Auto-Settle or Auto-Close at a specified time on a daily basis. If your device does not have that option enabled, contact your Merchant Service Provider right away to get your program updated.

Train Your Staff

If you are not the person directly responsible for processing credit cards at your company it is important that you properly train your staff to avoid downgrades. Routinely observe your cashiers, monitor transactions and carefully review your month end processing statements.

Get Rid of High Interest Credit Card Debt Now

Credit card debt is spiraling out of control and now accounts for $1 trillion worth of US consumer debt alone, so how can this debt be tackled. Firstly, the use of credit cards must be stemmed; millions of Americans are using their cards to pay for groceries and household expenses and treat their card as their wallet rather than a source of emergency funds. The credit card companies have been prolific in their encouragement of this type of card use and the end result has been that many Americans are paying minimum payments every month and will never clear their credit card balance.

Personally I don’t like the idea of paying $100 for a 50c can of pineapple chunks, sounds like an exaggeration doesn’t it? But, the truth of the matter is that you will eventually pay well over the odds if you do not clear your credit card balance in full.

If you are one of the millions of Americans facing an uncertain future because of potential employment issues or the economic situation then it is probably wise to look into methods to reduce your outgoings and gain control over your credit card debt. One of the best methods of doing this is to consolidate credit debt by applying for one of the many consolidation products currently available.

Debt consolidation companies offer loans that will normally equate to the sum of your total debt therefore allowing all of your debts to be paid off and leaving you with just one loan repayment a month to worry about. The end benefits of credit card consolidation are control and much lower interest rates.

There are methods however, that the financial institutions do not want the general population knowing and using about, as it would cause them to lose millions of dollars every year in unpaid interest. These methods work brilliantly when used with a consolidation loan and are both legal and ethical and will allow you to pay your debt off in a much shorter period of time, so before applying for a consolidation loan you really need to check these methods out.

You could also look into applying for a piece of the $10 billion bail out fund that the US government has provided to help those in debt. If you visit you should be able to acquire the information required to apply for a grant; the secret to getting these grants is perseverance, if you get turned down, don’t worry, keep trying until your grant application has been approved.

If you are under financial pressure and are struggling to see a way out, why not check out this SECRET INFORMATION that the banks do not want you to know about because it could have you debt Free in as little as THREE YEARS! DebtFreein3 Break Free from Debt

Credit Card Leaders Visa and American Express

When it came to getting a credit card, millions of consumers all over the world chose Visa cards, which allows them to manage their finances in a better way, while enabling them to choose a system of payment for their purchases, either in increments over time or at the end of each month. Visa cardholders are offered the opportunity to pay for their purchases in the manner and at the time that work best for them.

Getting a Visa card can only be possible after you have contacted one of the banks that issue Visa cards. The good news is that the Visa cards are so widely spread all over the world that chances are youll find such an organization quite close to you.

The types of cards offered by Visa through its issuing members are credit cards, debit cards and prepaid cards.

With a Visa debit card, the customer can have access to his/her money regardless of their location as long as they see a Visa symbol. The money is deducted from their balance, with no interest. There are many advantages to using a card, such as saving the trip to the bank or the need to queue up for a cash dispenser, or being safer than carrying money. When you lose money, its gone forever. However, if you should happen to lose your Visa card, it can be stopped as soon as it has been declared lost or stolen, and be replaced afterwards.

The are several types of Visa debit cards, including Visa Electron, most popular in Central and Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East and ideal for a wide range of customers as it has in-built security features; Visa Classic, designed for those who use their cards everywhere, be it the real world, the Internet or by telephone; Visa Gold, whose most important benefit is that your card or cash, or both of them, can be replaced, should it be lost or stolen; and Visa Platinum, designed for high-spenders who can enjoy its top-level services.

Visa prepaid cards allow consumers to control spending, as well as to send money home, pay for their trips, teach their children money management, or even give it as a gift.

With Visa credit cards customers are offered a whole new world of possibilities, being exceptionally reliable and convenient.

Another company best known for its businesses with credit cards, charge cards and travelers cheques is American Express, or Amex.

American Express issues a great variety of credit cards, each with specific benefits, so as to please and meet the needs of all their customers. Consumers can choose from the American Express Card, America Express Gold Card, Rewards Plus Gold Card, Platinum Card, Blue form American Express, and so forth. The remarkable benefits of the American Express credit cards include personal service and attention at an exceptional level, use membership points for traveling, shopping and entertainment, access to entertainment events, special travel privileges, and many more.

The American Express Gift Cards have special offers from participating merchants and retailers all over the nation. The American Express Gift Cards can be purchased for any occasion, and in an easy manner, as they are available online.

How a Credit Card Debt Relief Program Works

The first step toward taking control of your financial situation is to complete a realistic assessment of how much money you make and how much money you spend. Prioritize them and make sure you can pay the basics: housing, food and consumables, health care, insurance, travel and education. Write down all your expenses to track your spending patterns and separate the necessary expenses. Find out what interest rates (APR) you pay on each credit card. And be prepared you might be astonished. You may want to consider using a debt management group in order to consolidate your debt.

We encourage you to do some homework before making a decision on which company to use. Begin with checking out a few companies with the Better Business Bureau online. This will help you determine their past history. Find out what services the competitors provide, what success rate they have and what it will cost you. Credit card debt relief programs generally work with unsecured debts that are not tied to an asset like your home or auto.

A debt settlement program can provide credit card debt help through professional negotiations with your creditors. The outcome can be a debt reduction of 40 60% off what you owe. The program length is generally 12 36 months depending on the amount of monthly payments that fit your budget. There is a 48 month program available but not advised because creditors may not want to wait that long to receive total payment. They can also help you if youre in a bad credit debt consolidation. Credit card debt reduction programs also charge fees but they are negotiable with most companies. A debt settlement program does not show up on your credit report. But it will have an adverse affect on your credit score. How adverse of an affect depends on your present credit score.

A debt consolidation and management program may also be a viable option for consolidation debt help. They are generally non-profit organizations but they also charge fees. They can consolidate your debt into a single monthly payment. Their monthly payments are generally higher than those in a credit card debt relief program. Debt consolidation and management programs do report to the credit bureau as managing your credit situation for debts entered into the program. This will have an adverse affect on your credit score since credit is based on your ability to pay your own debts on time. Consolidation debt help plans also offer loans in order to consolidate your debt. They also work with bad credit debt consolidation.

You may require some essential investigation and basic steps on how to eliminate credit card debt. After you make your decision try to stick with it. Debt consolidation and management program can be just as effective as a debt settlement program. You will need to weigh the comparisons between the two popular plans. There are pros and cons with both to consider.

If you have any questions feel free to contact us about our credit card debt relief programs. One of our experienced and professional debt specialists would be glad to explain your options with no obligation. Our website is: www.creditresultsusa.com. Our staff will be available to assist you immediately.

Exposed! The Legal Loophole That Lets You Wipe Out All Of Your Credit Card Debt.

There are literally millions of credit cards in the world today and even with the current credit crunch, the numbers of cards being issued is still on the increase, so the ramifications for the credit card industry are immense and for them at least, difficult to comprehend.

During the good times, credit card companies issued cards under the guidelines of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. However, in their greed to attract even greater numbers of customers each month, they forgot to ensure that their consumer credit agreements they issued to customers were legal and above reproach. This situation changed in April 2008 with the creation of new rules and regulations that fully covered every lending institution that issued a consumer credit agreement.

However (and this is the good part), there are literally millions of potentially flawed agreements in existence that mean you, the consumer, can wipe out your total credit card debt in an instant, legally and ethically/

The other thing to consider is that legal loophole applies to all unsecured debt such as personal loans, car finance, mortgages and PPI. They all have to abide by the Consumer Credit Act (CCA) 1974 and if they do not, then they could be left open to all of their customers making a claim against the vaibility of their credit agreement.

This is the hottest topic in the financial services industry at the moment as credit card companies frantically look to avoid claims and the potential for huge losses. They are full aware of this situation and are bracing themselves for the fall out as this dwarfs anything we have seen from the ‘reclaim your bank charges’ scneario that has been on the news for the last 12 months.

The process itself is simple to administer if you know how and if you have the right Barrister contacts. The Barrister in question must have an understanding of the legal process and the ensuing legal complexities of wiping out credit card debt. But remember, it is happening now and hundreds of thousands of people have started to wipe out their debts and ensure that they can start living a debt free life once again.