Not paying your Verizon bill on time can have serious consequences. As someone who has been a Verizon customer for years, I know firsthand how stressful it can be when you fall behind on your payments. In this article, I’ll explain exactly what happens when you don’t pay your Verizon wireless or Fios bill, and provide tips on how to avoid service interruptions.
Overdue Payments and Late Fees
Your Verizon bill is due within 30 days of the billing date. If you don’t pay on time, Verizon will add a late fee to your next bill. The late fee is $5 or 5% of the unpaid balance, whichever is greater. So if your bill is $100 and you don’t pay anything, you’ll be charged a $5 late fee on your next bill. Verizon will send you reminders when your bill is past due, but you are responsible for paying on time whether you receive these notices or not.
I made the mistake of ignoring past due notifications when I was a new Verizon customer. I quickly accumulated over $100 in late fees! Now I make sure to pay my bill in full each month to avoid those annoying extra charges.
Collections Warnings
About a week after your due date, Verizon will start collection activity on past due accounts. This means you’ll get phone calls and letters warning that your account may be sent to a collection agency
At first these are just warnings but eventually Verizon will assign your delinquent account to a collection agency. This can seriously damage your credit score and make it difficult to get loans or make large purchases until the debt is resolved.
I recommend calling Verizon as soon as you get a collections notice to set up a payment plan. It’s much easier to work with Verizon directly than deal with aggressive collection agencies.
Service Interruption
If you don’t pay after multiple requests, Verizon can suspend your service until your balance is paid in full. This means you’ll lose access to calling, texting, data, and any other Verizon services.
Verizon will usually suspend service within a couple weeks of your first missed payment. I had my cell phone service turned off just 14 days after I failed to pay my bill!
It was extremely inconvenient being without phone and data service until I could scrape together the money I owed Verizon. Make sure you avoid a suspension by paying on time each month.
Reconnection Fees
If Verizon does suspend your service for nonpayment, you’ll have to pay a $40 reconnection fee per line when you restart your service. It’s yet another penalty for not paying your bill on time!
In addition, you’ll need to pay off the full past due balance before Verizon will turn your service back on. Just making a partial payment or setting up a new payment plan won’t cut it.
I now make sure my Verizon bill is set to autopay each month. That way, I never have to worry about reconnection fees or begging Verizon to turn my service back on!
Tips for Avoiding Service Interruption
Here are my top tips for making sure you don’t end up with suspended service due to an unpaid Verizon bill:
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Set up autopay so your bill is paid automatically each month from your bank account or credit card. This prevents you from forgetting a payment.
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Update your payment info if your card expires or account changes. Declined payments can lead to past due balances.
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Pay online through My Verizon before the due date each month to avoid human error and postal delays.
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Contact Verizon immediately if you can’t make a payment and need to set up a payment arrangement.
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Prioritize paying your Verizon bill so you don’t end up short when it’s time to pay your monthly expenses. Cell service is too vital today to risk losing access.
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Explore bill assistance programs like Lifeline if you qualify for discounted Verizon service based on your income or participation in certain government benefit programs.
What If My Service Is Already Suspended?
If you’re already at the point of having your Verizon wireless or Fios service shut off due to nonpayment, don’t panic. Here are a few options to get reconnected as quickly as possible:
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Pay the full past due amount, plus a $40 reconnection fee per line suspended. Service will be restored once Verizon confirms your payment.
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Make a payment arrangement to pay your outstanding balance over time. This may reactivate service, but depends on your payment history.
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If available in your state, enroll in Verizon’s “Promise to Pay” program to make payments on your past due balance while maintaining service.
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Submit an FCC complaint if you feel Verizon improperly suspended your Lifeline or other discounted service. The FCC may be able to help.
No one wants to lose their Verizon service because they didn’t pay their bill on time. Avoid collections warnings, late fees, and suspension by carefully managing your Verizon account and notifying the company immediately if you need payment assistance. If you act quickly and responsibly, you can maintain reliable Verizon service without disruption.
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.
