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Citi Hardship Program: How to Get Help With Your Citi Credit Card
Short answer: yes. Citi's own Credit Help page tells cardmembers who can't pay their minimum payment to contact Citi about other solutions it may have. Citi doesn't publish its terms, so what you're offered, typically a lower rate, a smaller payment or waived fees for a set period, is decided case by case.
I run a debt relief company, and Citi cards come up regularly in my work, including the Costco and American Airlines cards Citi issues. Here's how Citi's hardship help works, where to start depending on whether you're already behind, what a lower rate is worth, and what to do if a plan won't be enough.
Does Citi Have a Hardship Program?
Citi doesn't advertise anything called a hardship program, but it does tell struggling cardmembers that help exists. Its Credit Help page lists Payment Assistance and says that if you can't pay your minimum payment due, you should contact Citi to learn about other solutions.
Whether you search for a Citi hardship program, a Citibank hardship program or Citi payment assistance, it's the same help. Citibank is the bank that issues Citi cards, so the names are interchangeable.
Start in the Right Place: Already Behind or About to Fall Behind
Citi's Credit Help page splits help into two paths, and it's worth knowing which one you're on.
- If you're already late, Citi says to sign in to your account and see what payment options might be available. Do that before you call, so you know what Citi is already showing for your account.
- If you're current but worried, Citi offers a short questionnaire to see how it can help you avoid late payments. This is the better position, because you're asking for help while your account is still in good standing.
Either way, the details usually get worked out with a representative.
Which Citi Cards This Covers
The same process applies to Citi's own cards, like Double Cash, Custom Cash and Simplicity, and to co-branded cards Citi issues, like the Costco Anywhere Visa and the American Airlines AAdvantage cards. The airline or retailer on the front doesn't handle hardship requests; Citi does.
Citi also issues store cards for retailers like The Home Depot, Best Buy and Macy's. Those can be serviced separately, so call the number on the back of that specific card.
What Citi Can Offer
Citi doesn't publish its hardship terms, and what you're offered depends on your account and your situation. The accommodations to ask about:
- A lower interest rate for a set period. The most valuable piece, because more of each payment reaches the balance.
- A smaller payment. Helpful for cash flow, but ask what the rate will be, since a lower payment at the same rate stretches the debt out.
- Waived late fees. On fees already charged and on new ones while you're in the plan.
- A longer repayment plan. For bigger setbacks, a structured plan to pay the balance down over more time.
Expect your card to be suspended or closed while you're enrolled. And none of it lowers what you owe; it makes the balance cheaper to carry.
What a Lower Rate Is Actually Worth
Rate beats payment, and the arithmetic shows it. Take a $10,000 balance at 24.99% APR with a $350 monthly payment: in the first month, about $208 goes to interest and only $142 reaches the balance. At a 9.99% hardship rate, the same $350 would send about $267 to the balance.
📊 Same balance, same payment, different rate:
| At 24.99% APR | At a 9.99% hardship rate | |
|---|---|---|
| First month's interest | $208 | $83 |
| First month's payment toward the balance | $142 | $267 |
| Balance paid down over 12 months | $1,910 | $3,352 |
| Balance after 12 months | $8,090 | $6,648 |
| Interest paid over 12 months | $2,290 | $848 |
Illustrative example: a $10,000 balance and a $350 monthly payment for 12 months. Citi sets any hardship rate case by case.
Here the lower rate pays down about 75% more of the balance and saves about $1,440 in interest, with no change to the monthly payment.
Who Qualifies for Citi Payment Assistance
Citi reviews requests case by case. The hardships that typically get a serious hearing are a job loss or reduced income, a medical emergency or disability, a divorce, a death in the family, or a natural disaster. Be ready to explain what happened and how long you expect it to last, and to show documents if asked. Here's a realistic look at whether creditors care about financial hardship.
Timing matters. Call before you miss a payment or right after the first one, while Citi's preventive help is still on the table. Once an account charges off, usually after about six months of missed payments, the hardship options are gone and the account moves to collections. Here's what happens if you stop paying your credit cards.
How to Ask Citi for Help
The CFPB's advice for anyone who can't pay a card bill is to contact the company right away and be ready to explain why, how much you can afford, and when you expect to recover. Applied to Citi:
- Know your number. Work out what you can pay each month and for how long before you reach out.
- Sign in first if you're behind. Check what payment options Citi shows for your account, so you start the call informed.
- Call the number on the back of your card. Ask for payment assistance or hardship options by name, and ask to be transferred if the first person can't help.
- Ask the questions that matter before you agree. What will my rate be, and for how long? What will my payment be? Will my card be suspended or closed? How will the account be reported? What happens if I miss a payment?
- Get the terms in writing. Ask for a letter or secure message confirming the plan, and note who you spoke with and when.
- Include every Citi card. Store cards Citi issues may need their own call.
If you'd rather explain your situation in writing first, here's how to write a hardship letter to credit card companies.
What to Say When You Call
Keep it short and specific. Something like this works:
"Hi, I'm calling about my Citi card. I had surgery in August and was out of work for six weeks, and I've fallen behind. I'm back at work now. I can pay $250 a month for the next six months, then return to my normal payment. What payment assistance or hardship options do you have for my account?"
Change the details to yours, and don't hang up until you've heard the rate, the length of the plan and what happens to the card.
Does a Citi Hardship Plan Hurt Your Credit?
Enrolling isn't a late payment. Citi keeps reporting your payment history, so plan payments made on time help, and late payments already reported stay on your report. The CFPB recommends confirming a hardship plan's terms, including how the account will be reported, before you agree.
The bigger hit is usually the card closing. A closed card removes its limit from your utilization, which can lower your score even while you pay on time. If you fall out of the plan, the account can go back to its original terms.
When a Hardship Plan Isn't Enough
A hardship plan fits a temporary setback with income coming back. It doesn't fix a balance you can't realistically repay even at a lower rate; in that case, a few months of relief just delays the same decision.
The next options are a debt management plan through nonprofit credit counseling, which repays the full balance at a reduced rate over several years, and debt settlement, which resolves debt for less than the full balance, typically over 12 to 48 months. Settlement has real costs: it damages your credit, it carries fees, forgiven debt can be taxable income, and creditors can still sue while accounts are being negotiated.
📊 How the options compare:
| Option | Your balance | Your card | Credit impact | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citi hardship plan | You repay all of it | Usually suspended or closed | On-time payments reported; a closed card can raise utilization | A temporary setback |
| Debt management plan | You repay all of it, usually over 3 to 5 years | Usually closed | Closed cards can raise utilization; on-time payments help | Steady income and several cards |
| Debt settlement | Resolved for less than the full balance, typically over 12 to 48 months | Closed | Significant damage from missed payments and settled accounts | Balances you can't realistically repay |
If Your Citi Account Is Already Charged Off
A charge-off is an accounting step, not forgiveness. Citi writes the account off, usually after about six months of missed payments, but you still owe the balance, and hardship options no longer apply.
The account may stay with Citi's collections team, go to a collection agency, be sold to a debt buyer, or be handed to a law firm. The charge-off stays on your credit report for seven years from when you first fell behind.
Your options are paying in full, a payment arrangement with whoever holds the debt, or a settlement for less. If you're served, here's how to answer a summons for credit card debt, and check the statute of limitations before paying anything on a very old account.
The Bottom Line
Citi says it will help cardmembers who can't pay, but you have to start the conversation. Sign in to see your options if you're behind, use the questionnaire or call if you're about to be, and get the rate and terms in writing. If the balance itself is the problem, a hardship plan only buys time.
For cards with other banks, see our guide to hardship programs by issuer, plus our Chase and Capital One guides and our overview of credit card hardship programs. When you're ready to weigh the bigger options, see how our debt relief program works.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Citi have a hardship program?
Citi doesn't advertise one by that name, but its Credit Help page tells cardmembers who can't pay their minimum payment to contact Citi about other solutions. Help is decided case by case.
Is a Citibank hardship program different from a Citi hardship program?
No. Citibank is the bank that issues Citi credit cards, so Citibank hardship help, Citi hardship help and Citi payment assistance all refer to the same thing.
What is the Citi hardship phone number?
There's no separate hardship line. Call the number on the back of your card and ask for payment assistance or hardship options. If you're already behind, sign in to your account first to see what options Citi shows.
Can I get help from Citi before I miss a payment?
Yes. Citi's Credit Help page offers a short questionnaire for cardmembers who want to prevent late payments, and calling before you fall behind usually gives you more options.
Does a Citi hardship plan hurt your credit?
Enrolling isn't a late payment, but missed plan payments are still reported, and a suspended or closed card can raise your utilization. Confirm how the account will be reported before you agree.
Will Citi close my card if I enroll in a hardship plan?
Expect the card to be suspended or closed while you're enrolled. Ask before you agree, so you know what happens to the account and its limit.
Does Citi hardship help apply to Costco and AAdvantage cards?
Yes. Citi issues the Costco Anywhere Visa and the American Airlines AAdvantage cards, so Citi handles hardship requests for them. Call the number on the back of the card.
What if my Citi card is already charged off?
Hardship options end once an account charges off, usually after about six months of missed payments. You still owe the balance, and your options are paying it, a payment arrangement, or a settlement with whoever holds the debt.