Most of us rely on our cell phones and internet services every single day. That makes paying your Verizon bill on time incredibly important. But life happens, and you may find yourself unable to pay on occasion. If you miss paying your Verizon bill there are several repercussions you may face.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through what can happen if you don’t pay your Verizon wireless or Fios bill, and tips to avoid service interruptions.
Overdue Bills and Late Fees
First and foremost, if you don’t pay your bill by the due date, you’ll incur a late fee Verizon charges a late fee of $5 or 5% of the unpaid balance, whichever is greater. This late fee is typically applied 1-2 days after the due date
For example, if your bill is $100 and you don’t pay on time, you’ll be assessed a $5 late fee. If your bill is $200, the late fee would be $10 (5% of $200). Late fees quickly add up each billing cycle you’re overdue.
Collections and Credit Impacts
If your Verizon bill remains unpaid after a couple billing cycles, it will likely go to collections. This means Verizon assigns your debt to a collections agency who will attempt to recover the amount owed.
Having an account in collections makes it difficult to open new lines of credit. It can seriously damage your credit score and remain on your credit history for up to 7 years.
Service Interruptions
One of the biggest consequences of not paying your Verizon bill is having your service interrupted. For wireless accounts, Verizon will suspend your service anywhere from 30-60 days past the due date if arrangements haven’t been made.
With no cell phone or data service, you won’t be able to make calls, text, or access the internet on your device. Verizon also charges a $20 reactivation fee per line to restart service.
For Fios services like internet or TV, Verizon usually disconnects service 60-90 days after nonpayment. Reconnection fees apply here as well. Having any vital utilities cut off can be extremely disruptive to your daily life.
Additional Fees
On top of late fees, you may incur other charges for nonpayment like collection fees and reconnect fees. Collection fees are typically $20-30 on top of the overdue balance. Reconnect fees are $20 per disconnected line for wireless or $99 for Fios services.
Legal Action
As a last resort if the owed amount remains unpaid, Verizon can pursue legal action. While rare, they may file a claim in small claims court requesting payment. If the court rules in their favor, your wages or bank account could be garnished.
To avoid facing any of these repercussions, it’s critical to pay your Verizon bill on time each month. But if money is tight, you do have options to prevent service interruptions which we’ll cover next.
Setting Up Payment Arrangements
Verizon understands financial struggles happen. That’s why they allow customers to set up payment arrangements if you can’t pay the full bill on time.
Payment arrangements let you pay the outstanding balance at a later date, plus your current monthly bill. Online account access allows you to easily set up a promise-to-pay or schedule future payments.
As long as you pay as promised, your services will remain active. Just be aware payment plans can’t completely prevent late fees being applied to your account.
Applying for Bill Credits
If your financial hardship is temporary, Verizon may credit a portion of your bill through their discretionary bill credit program. Things like job loss, medical problems, or family emergencies could make you eligible.
You’ll need to contact Customer Service and provide documentation proving the situation. If approved, they’ll issue a one-time credit which helps offset your balance. Just keep in mind credits aren’t guaranteed.
Using Bill Pay Assistance Programs
For low-income households, Verizon offers bill pay assistance programs that reduce your monthly charges. The main one is Verizon’s Lifeline program, which provides up to $9.25 off your wireless bill per month.
You must meet income requirements and enroll through the National Verifier system. Verizon also partners with organizations like United Way that provide financial assistance grants for utility bills, including Verizon.
Switching to Prepaid Plans
If your financial situation makes postpaid plans difficult to manage, consider changing to a Verizon prepaid plan. You pay in advance for a set allotment of minutes, texts, and data. There’s no long-term contract or credit check.
Since it operates on a pay-as-you-go basis, prepaid helps avoid falling behind on bills. Just know you lose some perks and data amounts compared to postpaid.
Tips to Avoid Future Issues
- Set payment reminders to avoid forgetting due dates
- Enroll in autopay from your bank account or credit card
- Review billing statements closely for errors or unauthorized charges
- Contact Customer Service about adjusted payment dates if paid on fixed income
- Learn to estimate your data usage to select an appropriate wireless plan
- Dispute late fees or charges from service interruptions
Paying your Verizon bill on time takes diligence and organization. But unpaid balances can seriously impact your daily life, credit, and finances. Take advantage of Verizon’s payment assistance programs if needed, and implement strategies to stay current on your monthly bill. With some discipline, you can avoid the repercussions of an overdue Verizon account.
How do I know if the payment arrangement I set up went through?
After youre finished setting up the payment arrangement online or with the My Verizon app, you get a text and/or an email that confirms your arrangement (based on your notification preferences). You can also check to be sure your payment arrangement is set up on the Payment arrangements page in My Verizon.
How do I set up a payment arrangement online?
You can self-serve and schedule a payment or set up a promise to pay for free on the Payment arrangements page in My Verizon. Follow the prompts to set up the arrangement. Alternatively you can work with a Customer Service Representative or a Live Chat Representative, who can set up the payment arrangement for you, for a fee of $10. Note: You can set up an arrangement only if your current bill isnt paid and an amount is due. If your bill is paid, you wont see payment arrangement options.
What Verizon doesn’t tell you about savings #shorts
FAQ
What happens if I quit paying my Verizon bill?
How long can you go without paying your Verizon bill?
What happens if you don’t pay Verizon back?
What happens if I don’t pay my Verizon debt?
What happens if I don’t pay my Verizon bill?
Listed below are the consequences if you don’t pay your Verizon bill: You will be charged a late fee if you don’t pay your bill by the due date. The late fee may tend to increase as the time increases after the due date. Your Verizon service can get suspended temporarily if you miss the deadline and don’t make the payment for a while after that.
What happens if you miss a Verizon payment due date?
Some key points about Verizon payment arrangements: Payment plans buy you time and keep services active. But you must follow through and pay the agreed amount by the new due date. If you miss the new due date, your services could still be interrupted.
Does Verizon charge a fee to make a payment?
There’s no charge for making payments through My Verizon, at a Verizon store or when you dial #PMT from a mobile phone. However: There’s a $10 Agent Assistance Fee when you pay by calling Customer Service. Non-Verizon payment locations may charge a convenience fee up to $3.
What happens if I miss a payment?
That don’t cut your service off if you miss a payment. They’ll just add a late fee and combine the nexts month bill than after that if you don’t pay the both bills in full, then they’ll disconnect your service. I’d say like 2 month.
How much does Verizon charge for a late payment?
The late fee charged by Verizon can vary depending on the type of service and location: The late fee for a Verizon wireless account is up to 5% of the unpaid balance or $5 if the payment is 60 days late or more (whichever is greater).
How do I Pay my Verizon bill if my account is disconnected?
If your account is disconnected you can pay your bill by signing in to My Verizon with your User ID (your mobile number won’t work). You can retrieve your User ID if you’ve forgotten it. If you can’t sign in or if your account is inactive, pay your bill by on our Disconnected Accounts website. Enter your mobile number, last name and ZIP code.