 TITLE: Credit Card Balance and Statement Balance: What’s the Difference? CONTENT: What Does Current Balance Mean?\n-------------------------------\nThe current balance (also called the _credit card balance_) reflects the current amount of all charges and payments made to your account up to that day. Just like the statement balance, it includes fees, interest, penalties and credits, as well as any purchases or payments you've made.\nIf you use your credit card regularly, your current balance will often be different from your statement balance. Why? While your statement balance is a snapshot of what you owed at a particular moment in time, your current balance is constantly changing to show a running tally of what you owe right now.\nSuppose your March billing cycle ends March 15. During that billing period, you used your credit card to make $500 in purchases. The billing statement generated on March 15 shows a statement balance of $500, representing those purchases. However, if you make a $100 purchase with the same credit card on March 16 and then check your account online, you'll see that $100 purchase reflected in the current balance with your statement balance remaining the same. END