Intro APR Offers.

In plain English

An intro APR offer is a promotional interest rate, often zero percent, that a credit card applies for a set opening period on new purchases, balance transfers, or both. When that window ends, the regular APR takes over and applies to whatever balance is left. The CARD Act requires issuers to disclose how long the intro rate lasts and what the rate becomes afterward, and a promotional rate generally must last at least six months before the issuer can raise it on existing balances. These offers can save real money on interest if you pay the balance off before the promo ends, but they become expensive once the standard rate begins.

01Why it matters

A zero percent intro period can wipe out interest while you pay down a balance, but missing the end date means the regular rate hits the leftover balance, so the deadline matters as much as the rate.

02The math, step by step

You move a $3,000 balance to a card offering a 0 percent intro APR on balance transfers for a set promo period. If you pay it off before the promo ends, you owe no interest on that balance. If you still owe $1,000 when the window closes, the card's regular APR kicks in and interest starts piling up on that remaining $1,000. Check your cardholder agreement and the offer terms for the exact rate the promo turns into.

03What this is NOT

04Receipts

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