It can take a lot of time and effort to compare credit cards these days. Not only are there hundreds of credit card options, but there are dozens of features to consider. Is it a rewards card? What's the interest rate? How much is the annual fee?
Simply looking up all these details can be a big job. But the process can be made a little easier thanks to the Schumer box. Home to everything from a card's APR to its transaction fees, the Schumer box is a credit card hunter's best friend.
What is a Schumer box?
A Schumer box is a table that displays the rates and fees for a credit card. It lists important disclosures like the interest rates and fees, the annual fee, and any transaction fees.
The Schumer box is the result of regulations in the 1968 Truth in Lending Act. By law, a credit card issuer must clearly present a card's rates and fees in all promotions.
The idea is to make it easier for consumers to easily see a card's costs. Literally. The legislation requires disclosures to be both "clear and conspicuous." For example, instead of miniscule fine print, details need to be in a readable font size. Specifically, purchase APRs need to be in a 18-point type. Other key rates and fees should be 8-point or larger, and a 12-point type is suggested.
Every credit card offer you receive will have a Schumer box. It'll be in the envelope if you get an offer in the mail. And there will be a copy in that big packet of papers when you get a new credit card.
The law applies to digital card offers, too. The Schumer box will be linked to on any online credit card offers. This includes checkout offers and credit card landing pages. Most issuers will put the link right near the "Apply" button.
Exact wording on the link to the Schumer box varies, but some of the most common terms include:
- Rates and Fees
- Rates and Disclosures
- Pricing and Terms
- Terms and Conditions
Basically, look for any link that says anything about rates, terms, or pricing. The first thing you see on the new page will probably be the Schumer box.
Why is it called a Schumer box?
It's somewhat ironic that a table designed to add clarity to credit cards has such a confusing name. Rather than calling the table of rates and fees the "Rates and Fees Box," we get the "Schumer box." Why? Well, it comes down to politics.
The Schumer box is named after Sen. Chuck Schumer (who was a congressman at the time). He was the one who proposed the legislation to require clear display of rates and fees. As is typical in politics, the legislation was nicknamed after its advocate. And since finance loves its jargon, the name stuck. Today, the Schumer box is an industry standard.
How to read a Schumer box
At first glance, a Schumer box can be a lot to take in. There are a lot of numbers stacked on top of each other. But you can quickly make sense of it all if you look at it one section at a time.
Although it's referred to as a Schumer box, singular, it actually has two distinct tables. The first table displays the interest rates and charges. The second table is for the fees.