What is cash advance

A cash advance is a service provided by most credit card and charge card issuers. The service allows cardholders to withdraw cash, either through an ATM or over the counter at a bank or other financial agency, up to a certain limit. For a credit card, this will be the credit limit (or some percentage of it).

Cash advances generally incur a fee (to replace the interchange fee normally charged to the merchant on a card transaction), although this is sometimes waived if the account is in credit. When made on a credit card, they are usually charged at a higher rate of interest than store purchases, and generally do not attract an interest-free period which is customarily given to cardholders who pay off their bill in full every month.

Some "purchases" made with a credit card of items that are viewed as cash are also considered to be cash advances in accordance with the credit card's guidelines, thereby incurring the higher interest rate and the lack of the grace period. These often include money orders, lottery tickets, gaming chips, and certain taxes and fees paid to certain governments.

Under card scheme rules, a credit card holder presenting an accepted form of identification must be issued a cash advance over the counter at any bank which issues that type of credit card, even if the cardholder cannot give his or her PIN.

Credit card concepts

Accounts
Bank card number · Enclosure · Credit limit · Credit card balance transfer · Revolving account

Interest
Grace period · Introductory rate · Teaser rate · Universal default

Debt
Cash advance · Charge-off · Maxed Out

Payment
Credit card cashback · Card not present transaction · Chargeback · Controlled payment number · Interchange fee

Technology
Automated teller machine · Smart card · Contactless payment · Interbank network · Credit card terminal · Magnetic stripe card

Security/Crime
Credit card fraud · Friendly fraud · Credit card hijacking · International credit card data theft · Card security code


Alternative financial services · Financial literacy

Unsecured debt
Credit card debt (cash advance) · Overdraft · Payday loan · Personal loan / Signature loan · moneylender

Secured debt
Mortgage loan / Home equity loan / Home equity line of credit · car title loan / logbook loan · tax refund anticipation loan · pawnbroker

Debt management
Debt consolidation · Credit counseling / Debt management plan / Debt settlement · Personal bankruptcy · Foreclosure / Repossession

Key concepts
Annual Percentage Rate (APR)