Changing your address ensures you receive your billing statements in enough time to send your credit card payment on time so you avoid a late fee. You also don’t want your credit card statements—which may include your credit card number or other sensitive personal information—to arrive at your old address where they could be stolen and used to commit fraud or identity theft.
4 Ways To Change Your Billing Address
While moving can be hectic, changing your credit card billing address is a step you can’t afford to forget. Here are four ways you can easily update your billing address with your credit card issuer.
Write the New Address on the Back of Your Payment Coupon
If you typically mail your monthly credit card payments, the back of the payment coupon will include a space for address changes. The front of the coupon will also include a box where you can indicate that you have address or phone number changes. Fill out the back of the payment coupon with your new address and make sure you check the change of address box on the front so the person processing your payment knows to check the back of the payment coupon for your updated information.
Call Customer Service
Calling your credit card issuer’s customer service number—the one on the back of your credit card—will ensure your address is changed quickly. You don’t have to wait for the payment to arrive in the mail. The downside is that you have to call each of your credit card issuers. If you only have one or two credit cards, this won’t take a long time. You can make a payment and update your billing address all on the same call to make it easier.
Make the Address Change Online
If you’ve created an online account for your credit card, for example to check your balance and make your payment, you should be able to change your address there. Log in and look for a link to update your personal or account information. Just like calling in your change of address, you’ll have to take this step with each of your credit card issuers.
File a Change of Address With USPS
You can request an address change with the United States Postal Service, either online, by phone, or using a form from the post office. This step will forward all your mail, not just your credit card statements. If you file the change of address online or by phone (1-800-ASK-USPS), you’ll have to use a credit (or debit) card with the billing address from either your old or new address. You’ll be charged $1 to allow the postal service to verify your identity. Mail is forwarded for up to one year (six months initially with the option to extend for an additional six months). You have to do this for every person who lives in the house. It may take a little longer to receive mail that’s processed via change of address. Often, the postal service updates billers of your new address, so after a couple of months, you may notice your credit card issuers are sending mail to your new address rather than the old one.
Make Sure You Don’t Miss Anyone
Create a checklist with each of your credit card issuers and other billers to help organize your address change progress. Double-check the list, for example using cancelled checks or a bank statement, to be sure you haven’t forgotten any companies. Check each creditor off the list once you’ve changed your address. Consider keeping the list for a month or two after the move to verify that you’ve received mail at your new address from each company on your list.
