When — and how — to change the due dates on monthly bills

Changing the due dates on monthly bills could make paying bills easier and help you better manage your money.

You probably have a lot of bills to pay each month. And if they’re due at different times, you may feel you’re constantly sending payments. If your bill due dates are inconvenient — say they fall between pay checks at a time when your accounts run low — you may even have trouble paying.

To make life simpler or help take control of your cash flow, it makes sense to change due dates on bills to a time that works better for you.

• When should you change due dates on bills?
• When to schedule your new due dates
• How to change due dates
• Can you always change your billing due date?

When should you change due dates on bills?

Changing due dates on bills isn’t a big deal in most cases, so if you’re unhappy with your current payment schedule, try to modify it. There may be a few reasons you decide to make a change in due dates.

• So that all your bills are conveniently due at the same time
• So that due dates are spread out and you don’t need to spend as much money at once
• So that due dates are better aligned with your paydays

It’s best to take action if you’re worried your current payment schedule will cause you to forget to pay on time, or to pay at all — remember that a missed payment can damage your credit scores.

When to schedule your new due dates

The first step to changing due dates on monthly bills is to figure out what pay dates to modify.

Start by listing out all your monthly bills and current due dates.

This lets you know your starting point so that you can decide which dates to change.

Next, create a household budget and paycheck-allocation plan to determine when to pay bills. Based on when you get paid and when the bills are due, you may decide you want …

• All bills due after your last monthly payday so that you can pay everything at the same time
• All your bills due after your first payday so that you can pay them and use your second check for saving and spending
• Half your bills due after your first biweekly paycheck and the other half due after the second, to space payments evenly
• A quarter of your bills due each week so that you can pay as a weekly check arrives

There’s no right or wrong way — the key is to figure out your spending and saving habits, and what works for you. Having a plan can help you stay on top of your bills.

How to change due dates

Once you’ve decided when you want to pay, it’s time to contact creditors and ask for a change.

Most of the time this can be done with a phone call, but sometimes creditors want a written request — or sometimes the change can be made online. The process depends on the kind of bills and the company you’re dealing with.

Changing due dates on credit cards: Some examples

The process of changing your due date varies by card issuer, although many allow you to do it online. For example, if you have a credit card from American Express, select “Payments” from the top menu after logging into your account.

On your payment screen, scroll down to the “Useful Links” section and click “Change Monthly Payment Due Date” on the bottom right of the screen.

American Express allows you to change your credit card due date once every three billing cycles. When you’re ready, just choose your desired date. If you’ve signed up for AutoPay, the date your payment is made should be updated automatically when you modify your due date. For charge cards, the company requires you to contact customer service.

If you have a Chase credit card, you’ll start either by selecting “More Options” from the menu — which you access by clicking on three dots (indicating there’s more to see) — or through the “Things you can do” drop-down menu.

Within your menu, select “Update settings & preferences” and then “Payment due date.” You’ll see a warning alerting you to the fact that your change won’t take effect until the next billing cycle, and that you may incur a one-time interest and minimum-payment increase. Click “Next” to continue after reading the details.

Finally, you’ll be taken to a screen to pick your new date.

Since there are many different card issuers, you’ll need to navigate your own account to find the right approach. You may find options to choose your payment due date under the following online menu labels:

• Services
• Tools
• Payments
• Settings

If you have difficulty, call the number on the back of your credit card and ask your issuer about changing your due date, or use an online customer-support chat, if available.

Changing due dates on other bills

You may also want to change due dates for utility bills, streaming services, cellphone bills or other monthly obligations.

Vendors may be willing to work with you, especially if you have a positive payment history and don’t make too many requests. In fact, some utility companies may be required to allow you to modify your due date to your payday.

It’s up to you to figure out the process to make the request. Just like with credit cards, it varies by company — and you may not always be able to do it online.

If you can modify bill due dates online, you’ll probably want to look for menu names like “My Account,” “Payments,” “Billing” or “Services.”

If you can’t find the right place to look, call the company, chat online or use a search feature after signing into your account.

Can you always change your billing due date?

While changing your due date is possible for many types of accounts, it’s not always an option. In fact, some subscription services bill based on when you signed up and you can’t just alter the date your bill is due.

Bottom line

Changing your billing due dates will allow you to organize payments for convenience or to match up with paydays. Decide when you want to pay and contact your lenders or service providers to change the dates your bills are due. Often, this can be done online, but you may need to search, call or chat to find out exactly how. Taking the time can be worthwhile to help avoid paying late and to make managing money easier.