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Previous Balance Method

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Definition of 'Previous Balance Method'

A credit card accounting method where interest charges are based on the amount owed at the end of the beginning of the billing cycle. The previous balance method charges interest based on the amount of debt the consumer carries over from the previous billing cycle to the new billing cycle. The cardholder's APR is divided by 12 to determine the monthly interest rate, and the previous balance is multiplied by the monthly interest rate to get the finance charge for the current billing cycle. This method can be more expensive for consumers who are in the process of paying down debt, because payments don't immediately reduce the amount of interest owed.
Investopedia Says

Investopedia explains 'Previous Balance Method'

The interest you owe when you carry a credit card balance can be calculated in different ways and can vary from card to card. The cardholder agreement will state the method your credit card company uses to calculate how much interest is owed. The most common methods are the previous balance method, the daily balance method, the average daily balance method, the adjusted balance method and the ending balance method. If you carry credit card debt, you should choose a card with both a low APR and a favorable method of calculating interest based on your pattern of making purchases and payments.

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