We all know that life brings many stresses with it. One of those stresses is credit card payments. We are all human, and sometimes we make mistakes. We fall behind on bills, and we might not always pay precisely on time. It’s happened to many of us. So if that happens, what is the worst case scenario for you? Can you actually be jailed for chronically not paying your credit card?

You will not be thrown into jail if you do not pay your credit card bills, even if you’re a chronic non-payer. We are not dealing with a criminal issue here, it’s purely a civil thing. No sirens, no police battering rams at your front door. But…the creditors have the right to get their money. They want to recover that money quickly. So they will just start off by mail you notices, then sometimes calling you on the phone. When that option is exhausted, then comes the lawsuit.

They will be kind at first, and that is the only stage you need to be concerned with. The key factor is that they’ll be patient at first, even though you are late on your payments. It’s best to pay those CC bills immediately or ASAP. A low credit rating, as has been repeated ad nauseum on many sites, commercials and news reports, can keep you from purchasing cars, homes, getting loans, and even sometimes its used to judge your suitability as an employee for a job (not really fair, but that’s a different topic).

Do not let these things get over 30 days late, because that is when the trouble begins to really mount. So just be careful, and make sure you are also acting in your best interest. These creditors will always act in their best interest, because this is how they have managed a successful company. So do the same for yourself, and make sure you do not let things get out of hand. In the end, you do not want to find yourself in a court room having to pay extra fees on top of the ones you already owe, or being stuck with high interest rates on larger purchases because of poor credit.