 TITLE: Can You Pay a Mortgage With a Credit Card? CONTENT: How to Pay Your Mortgage With a Credit Card\n-------------------------------------------\nThere are four primary ways you can try to use your credit card to pay your mortgage.\n*   **Use a third-party service.** Some services act as a middleman by accepting your credit card payment, then sending a check or ACH transfer on your behalf. While these are more commonly used for paying rent than mortgages, some companies (such as Plastiq) accept certain cards for mortgage payments. Plastiq charges a 2.85% transaction fee for each payment, and only accepts payment via Mastercard or Discover credit cards from select card issuers.\n*   **Buy a money order.** You also might be able to buy a money order with your credit card and deposit it at your bank or send it to your mortgage servicer. However, money orders often have a $1,000 limit, and there may be a fee for each one you buy. Many merchants also don't accept credit cards for money orders, and some card issuers might treat the transaction as a cash advance, which can be costly.\n*   **Transfer a balance to your bank account.** Some credit cards let you use a balance transfer to move money into your bank account. You could then make the payment from your account as you normally would. The card issuer typically charges a balance transfer fee (3% or 5% is common), and the balance can accrue interest based on your card's balance transfer annual percentage rate (APR).\n*   **Get a cash advance.** Another option could be to take out a cash advance with your credit card. You could then use the cash to buy a money order or cashier's check. Or, deposit it and pay by check or electronic transfer. There may be a cash advance fee, and the advance often starts accruing interest right away. Furthermore, your cash advance limit may be lower than your credit limit.\nAlthough all four options listed above present a potential way to use your credit card, that doesn't necessarily mean doing so is a good idea. END