How much does a cash advance cost?

To get a Mastercard cash advance, visit any ATM that displays the Mastercard logo, then insert the credit card and enter its PIN. Next, choose the cash advance option from the ATM’s menu, input the amount of the cash advance, and collect the cash and your card. Cardholders who do not yet have a PIN will need to contact their credit card issuer to get one prior to taking out a cash advance at an ATM.... read full answer

Another way to get a Mastercard cash advance is to go into any bank branch that displays the Mastercard logo and give the card to a teller, then request a cash advance of a certain amount. You won’t need your PIN this way, as the teller will ask for a photo ID instead.

Key Things to Know About Mastercard Cash Advances:

• Cash Advance Fee: With most credit cards, including those on the Mastercard network, there will be a substantial cash advance fee that gets added instantly to the amount you owe.
• Cash Advance APR: The interest rate on cash advances will usually be quite a bit higher than your card’s normal APR.
• Immediate Interest: Unlike with normal purchases, cash advances start accruing interest right away.
• Terms Left to Issuers: Mastercard does not set cards’ cash advance fees or APRs. The hundreds of banks and credit unions that issue Mastercard credit cards are responsible for choosing them.
• Best for Emergencies: Since Mastercard cash advances are so expensive, it’s not a great idea to do one unless you’re in an emergency situation. If you do have to get a cash advance, you should pay it off as quickly as possible to avoid accruing a lot of interest.

It’s also worth noting that you can get an “emergency cash advance” through Mastercard if you’re traveling and lose your card. This service helps get money wired to you wherever you are, and does so by accessing your card’s credit line. Be careful, though, because you’ll owe wire transfer fees and possibly a foreign transaction fee on top of the regular cash advance fee. To get an emergency Mastercard cash advance, call (800) 627-8372.

A cash credit line is the dollar amount you have access to for a cash advance on your credit card. You won’t be able to take out a cash advance higher than the amount of your cash credit line. If you plan to take out the full amount of your cash credit line, it’s important to make sure you have enough overall credit left for the cash advance fee, which is ... read full answeran extra 3.84% on average. You can find the amount of your cash credit line listed on your monthly statement.

Here's what you should know about the cash credit line:

• What is a cash credit line: Your cash credit line is just a part of your full credit line, meaning that your cash advances and purchases combine to make up your overall credit limit. As a result, the amount you have available in your cash credit line will depend on how much of your overall credit line is free. That’s especially important if you have a high balance on the card. If you’re nearly maxing out the card and getting close to the overall credit limit, for example, you probably won’t have much of your limit left over for cash advances.
• Cash credit line terminology: Bank of America is one card issuer that uses the phrase “cash credit line” to refer to your cash advance limit. But not all credit card companies use the same terminology. For example, Capital One and American Express call it a “cash advance limit” (found under “Available Credit for Cash Advances” on Capital One credit card statements) and Chase uses “cash advance limit” and “cash access line” interchangeably. They all mean the same thing.
• Other cash advance info: It’s also worth keeping in mind that you will need a PIN to get a cash advance at an ATM. Plus, you should know that cash advances typically come with a higher interest rate than the card’s regular APR. The average cash advance APR is 22.53%. And since there’s no grace period on cash advances, interest will start accruing immediately. On top of that, most credit cards charge a cash advance fee, with the average fee equal to 3.84% of the amount advanced.

Given the hefty fees and high interest rates associated with cash advances, it’s best to only take out a cash advances in case of an emergency situation. Lastly, if you have to get one, you should pay it back as quickly as possible.

To get a cash advance from a credit card, you can withdraw the cash from an ATM using the four-digit PIN associated with your account. You can also ask the teller at a local bank branch for a cash advance or use a convenience check from your credit card company.

How to Get a Credit Card Cash Advance at an ATM

1. Insert your card.
2. Enter your 4-digit security PIN.
3. Select the cash advance option from the menu.
4. Retrieve your cash to complete the transaction.

If you don’t have or don’t remember your PIN, you should be able to call customer service, choose a PIN, and get it set up right away.

You can use any ATM with the logo of your card’s network (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover). Bear in mind that you may have to pay an ATM fee for each cash advance transaction. Your credit card issuer will also likely charge a cash advance fee, as well as a separate cash advance APR that might be higher than your card’s regular interest rate.

How to Get a Cash Advance at a Branch

To get a cash advance from a branch, visit a local bank or credit union and ask the teller for a cash advance. You will need to have your credit card with you, as well as a government-issued photo ID to verify your identity.

By the way, this doesn’t necessarily have to be done from your credit card issuer’s branch. The bank or credit union needs to work with credit cards on the same payment network as yours, however.

How to Do a Cash Advance With a Convenience Check

To get a cash advance with a convenience check, first get a set of checks from your credit card issuer. Credit card companies will sometimes mail convenience checks to their customers unprompted, but you can also call your credit card company to request some checks.

You can write the check out to yourself or someone else and use it to withdraw cash from your credit line. Once the check is cashed, the transaction will count as a cash advance.

Not all issuers offer convenience checks, so this option might not be available to everyone.

Key Things to Watch Out for When Doing a Cash Advance

• Cash advances typically come with a higher interest rate than the card’s regular APR. The average cash advance APR is 22.53%.
• There’s no grace period on cash advances, so interest will start accruing immediately, starting on the transaction date.
• Most credit cards also charge a cash advance fee, with the average fee equal to 3.84% of the amount advanced.

You can learn more about how cash advances work on WalletHub.