Have you ever tried to thoroughly read your credit card’s terms and conditions? Did you find them to be confusing at all, or even downright unreadable? Sometimes terms and conditions can feel so overwhelmingly long that we don’t feel like we can make time to get through them all before applying. And sometimes they seem to be documents that only legal professionals could understand.

This is why many people never read their full terms and conditions before applying for credit cards (or in other situations where complicated terms are involved). Yet these are the things you agree to the moment you apply for a new credit card. Let’s take a look at why terms and conditions can feel so very different than the details you find in advertised offers, and what you can do if you don’t understand the full terms when you try to decipher them.

Credit Card Terms vs Advertised Offers

Here’s the deal. The credit card details you find in advertised offers represent a very small portion of the terms of each offer. That’s because in marketing copy the credit card companies only want to highlight the best or most common features and terms — the things that will actually convince you to apply. This is why the more complicated or less pleasant aspects of those details are usually tucked away in the fine print below.

The full terms and conditions on the other hand are a legal agreement between you and the credit card company. They lay out all of the fees and interest, among other terms, that you’ll be subject to. It has to be made available to you, but it doesn’t all have to be available in the marketing copy of the offers you see advertised. That’s why it’s so important to find a copy of those terms and review them before applying — something companies know many consumers do not do.

What to do if You Don’t Understand Credit Card Terms and Conditions

It’s okay if you don’t fully understand your credit card terms and conditions the first time you read them. It’s just important to get to that step of actually reviewing them. Here are a few things you might be able to do to clarify terms before applying for a new credit card.

1. Take notes. — Make a note of the most important terms to you — what would happen should you make a late payment, what fees are involved in international transactions you make when travelling, etc. Then go through the terms and write down what you really want to know. This will help you highlight the factors that are important to you rather than just general information from the advertised offer.
2. Call the credit card company. — If you don’t understand something in a credit card’s terms and conditions, it’s the company’s responsibility to clarify that information for you. So never hesitate to call their customer service numbers and ask them directly about any features, fees, rates, or other terms that you’re concerned about.
3. Consult with a legal or financial professional. — If you already have a legal or financial professional that you can trust, set up a consultation with them where they can review the terms or contract and explain things you don’t understand. Just know that this can be costly, so calling the credit card company should be your first plan.

You should always know what you’re agreeing to before you apply for a credit card. And you should know the terms your current cards are holding you to right now. The only way to do that is to review your full terms and conditions and ask for clarification if and when you need it. What are you waiting for? Ignorance about your credit card terms and conditions can cost you serious money.