Dodge That Credit Card Late Fee

Uh-oh — you forgot to pay your credit card bill and it's due tomorrow. Another late fee looms, not to mention potential harm to your credit score.

See also: How to raise your credit score.

Late fees can be avoided by ordering expedited payments online. — Photo by Andy Ryan/Getty Images

Don't panic, there may be a way out. Your bank or credit union may let you make an "expedited payment." Here's how it works:

You put in a request online, on the phone or in person, and your financial institution transfers the money the same day or the next day for a fee ranging from $5 to $25. Usually that's a lot lower than those hateful late fees — though not low enough to make this a routine practice either.

According to the financial research firm Javelin Strategy and Research, about two-thirds of consumers pay $20 to $50 a year or more in fees for missing these deadlines.

To date, just 18 percent of top banks — Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo among them — offer the rush payments, so check yours out before you get into a jam.

Also of interest: Canceled cards and a credit score. >>

Joan Rattner Heilman writes about good deals and where to find them.