 TITLE: When Do Late Payments Get Reported? CONTENT: What to Do if You Missed a Payment\n----------------------------------\nIf you think you may miss a payment, try to reach your creditor as soon as possible.\nSome creditors give borrowers a grace period, and you might find that missing a payment by a few days doesn't result in any additional fees or penalties. But others may charge you a late payment fee as soon as you miss the due date.\nIf you're already late but can bring your account current, do this right away and then ask for a waiver or refund of the late fee. The creditor isn't required to remove the fee, but they may be willing to do so if you usually pay your bills on time. If you typically pay your credit card bill in full each month and the late payment led to interest charges, you may be able to get those back as well.\nWhen you've missed payments and aren't able to bring the account current, you should still contact your creditor and ask about hardship options. Some lenders and credit card companies may work with you to lower your interest rate or monthly payment, get you on a different payment plan, or let you temporarily stop making payments without being considered late. END