Merrick Bank Credit Card: What to Do If You're Falling Behind 2026

• Best option: Call the number on the back of your Merrick Bank credit card for account- specific service.
• Merrick Bank customer service: 800-204-5936, TTY/TDD: (800) 253-4563 If you’re calling because you’re behind or struggling to pay, tell the representative you’re looking for payment assistance or hardship options.

There’s no single “Merrick Bank rate.” Different Merrick cards carry different terms. Recent third-party reporting on Merrick’s secured card has listed variable purchase APRs in the low-to-mid 20s, though the exact figure varies by source and rates are variable by nature, so treat any number you find online as a ballpark rather than a fact about your account.

Check your monthly statement or Cardmember Agreement for the APR currently applying to your balance. Late fees, returned-payment fees, and other account terms also vary by card, so confirm those the same way.

People fall behind on credit cards for all kinds of reasons. Income drops. Hours get cut. A medical expense appears. Several cards that were manageable individually become unaffordable together. And once you’re carrying a balance at a high APR, interest can make progress much slower than the amount you’re paying might suggest.

If that’s where you are with a Merrick Bank card, the good news is you have real options, starting with a conversation with Merrick Bank itself.

If you’re searching for a Merrick Bank hardship program, don’t go into the conversation expecting a specific interest rate reduction, monthly payment, or program length posted publicly. We couldn’t verify a published Merrick Bank hardship program with standardized terms that apply to every cardholder.

If you’re struggling to make your payment, contact Merrick Bank using the number on the back of your card and ask what payment or financial hardship assistance may be available for your specific account.

Before agreeing to anything, ask:

• What will my monthly payment be?
• How long will the arrangement last?
• Will my interest rate change?
• Are any fees being waived?
• Can I continue using the card?
• Will my credit limit change or the account be closed?
• What happens if I miss a payment while I’m on the arrangement?
• How will the account be reported to the credit bureaus?

Get the terms in writing, or save a copy of the agreement, before relying on them.

You may see Merrick Bank’s Payment Protection product while looking for help. Don’t confuse it with hardship assistance.

Payment Protection is an optional product that a cardholder enrolls in and pays for before a qualifying event occurs. It may provide benefits after certain covered events, subject to the program’s eligibility requirements, exclusions, and terms.

If you’re already behind and weren’t enrolled when the qualifying event happened, Payment Protection isn’t a substitute for asking Merrick Bank about payment assistance now.

If you’re considering purchasing Payment Protection for future coverage, read the current program agreement carefully before enrolling so you understand the cost, covered events, exclusions, and benefit limits.

Around 180 days late, federal banking guidance generally calls for open-end credit card accounts like this one to be charged off.

Charge-off is an accounting action, not debt forgiveness. You can still owe the balance after the account has been charged off. Collection can continue after that point. Depending on what happens to the account, you may hear from Merrick Bank directly or from another party collecting the debt. Verify who owns the debt and who is authorized to collect before making a payment or agreement. Either way, a charge-off will show up on your credit report and can significantly hurt your credit score for years.

If you’re seriously behind and full repayment is no longer realistic, debt settlement may be one option to evaluate. We couldn’t verify a publicly posted Merrick Bank settlement program with standardized terms, so don’t assume a particular discount will be available or that settlement will be offered at a particular stage.

A few things worth knowing before you go this route:

Any forgiven debt of $600 or more generally triggers a Form 1099-C from the creditor, which gets reported to the IRS. But that $600 figure is just the reporting threshold, not the taxability threshold. Canceled debt is generally considered taxable income by the IRS regardless of whether you actually receive a 1099-C, so don’t assume a smaller forgiven amount is automatically tax-free.

Get any settlement agreement in writing, specifying the exact amount, the payment terms, and how the account will be reported to the credit bureaus, before you send any money.

Yes. Unpaid credit card debt can ultimately lead to a collection lawsuit. If you receive a summons or complaint involving your Merrick Bank account, don’t ignore it. Missing the response deadline can result in a default judgment, which is much harder to undo than answering the suit on time.

For a full breakdown of how debt lawsuits work, your response deadlines, and what a judgment can mean, see our complete guide to debt lawsuits.

If you think you’re going to have trouble making a payment, contact Merrick Bank as early as you can and ask what assistance may be available. If you’re already behind, it’s still worth asking rather than assuming you’ve missed your opportunity.

Call Merrick Bank and ask about hardship or payment plan options. The earlier you reach out, the more room there tends to be to work something out.

Credit counseling and a Debt Management Plan can combine your Merrick Bank balance with other cards into one lower monthly payment. See our guide to credit counseling for how these work.

Debt consolidation through a personal loan can lower your interest rate if your credit is still strong enough to qualify. See our debt consolidation loans guide.

Debt settlement may make sense once you’re seriously behind and a full payoff isn’t realistic. Our debt relief guide walks through how that process works and what it costs.

Bankruptcy is worth discussing with an attorney if your total debt across all creditors, not just Merrick Bank, has become unmanageable. See our bankruptcy guide for the basics.

The right option depends on how far behind you are, how much you owe in total, and whether your credit is strong enough to still qualify for consolidation. If you’re not sure which fits your situation, a free consultation with a debt relief specialist can help you sort through it.