What is USAA Secured Platinum Mastercard?
It can be difficult to find a quality secured credit card that offers unsecured benefits at a low rate and with few fees. The USAA Secured Platinum is a Mastercard that offers USAA members and other qualifying individuals the peace of mind and convenience they need, as well as savings opportunities. Everyone wants a card that is going to make them feel valued. The way to do that is to offer exclusive benefits that pay off in the short-term and the long-term. Another way to do it is to offer the cardholder protection.
The USAA Secured Platinum Card gives cardholders the ability to save money in a variety of ways, making the card one that becomes a tool in managing finances. It is a card that can be traveled with, has the features of Mastercard, and is accepted anywhere in the world where Mastercard is accepted.
Increase Your Savings
The first way you are able to increase your savings is by establishing actual savings. The 2-Year Certificate of Deposit gains interest and that gives you a savings vehicle so you can make your cash grow. The 2-Year Variable Rate CD has a rate that will fluctuate. There is also a penalty if money is withdrawn from the CD before the two years is up.
Nonetheless, the CD serves a very important role in that the amount that is deposited determines the credit limit. There is a minimum amount that needs to be deposited, yet it cannot exceed a certain amount. If you need a credit line increase in the future, you can request the increase and deposit more money in order to establish it.
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The CD is a way in which cardholders can have control over how much credit they receive and is a vehicle in which saving for the future is easier. It is something about the card that makes the future of the cardholder a priority.
Qualification
To qualify for the card, you must be a USAA member, the immediate family member of a member, or the spouse of someone currently serving in the military. The door is opened to a select few, which is what allows the USAA to offer its cardholders the exclusive benefits that it does.
Once you determine online that you are qualified, you can move forward with the application process by first providing your contact information. This involves providing your name, address, telephone number, and email address. During the application process, you will provide your social security number, as well as information regarding the family member who is insured with USAA or who is serving in the military.
What are Fees and Rates?
The fees and rates are competitive. First, there is an annual fee, but it is very small. It is charged on the anniversary date of the account each year. The only other regular charge to the account is the APR on purchases, balance transfers, and cash advances. You can pay off your purchase APR by paying off your entire balance within the 25 day grace period that follows the closing of the billing period. If you pay off by your due date, then you can save money. The APR for balance transfers and cash advances will always be charged.
The next fee is the foreign transaction fee. It is 1 percent of each foreign transaction in U.S. dollars. In order to use the card internationally, all you have to do is look for the MasterCard logo and you can use the card at that location. It is important to note that the transaction fee is charged per transaction.
The last set of fees is the penalty fees. There is no over-the-limit fee since the credit card cannot go over its limit. There is, however, a late payment fee and there is also a returned payment fee. If payment is made late, then a late fee is assessed to the account. The first time a payment is late in a six month period, it is lower than it is for subsequent late payments. When a payment is returned, it is because the payment method did not go through due to insufficient funds.
What are Other Benefits?
- There are a number of benefits that are afforded to cardholders, such as rental car insurance that pays for damages that occur to a rental car that was charged to the card.
- There is also worldwide automatic travel accident insurance that allows you to travel with peace of mind. To get this coverage, you have to pay for your common carrier tickets with your card.
- In addition to these travel benefits, there are also retail benefits, such as extended warranty protection. When you buy an item on your card that has a warranty, you can extend the warranty so it is covered longer.
- The purchase assurance coverage insures retail purchases you make with the card against theft and damage. If you make high dollar purchases with your card, this is a good way to protect all or part of the purchase so that you can recover some or all of the loss in the event something happens.
- If you are on the road and you break down in your car, you can also call Mastercard’s Master RoadAssist Service to help you get to a safe place.
This and all of the benefits that are offered are designed to help cardholders get the most out of their card and actually enjoy having it. Any time any of these benefits have to be used, you actually save money because you are not losing money and you do not have to spend it either.
The Final Word
When in need of a credit card that gives the cardholder value, the USAA Secured Platinum Mastercard gives a number of valuable benefits while keeping the fees and the rates low. This allows cardholders to get a lot of value out of having a credit card.
