The USAA Secured Credit Card Review for 2019

The USAA Secured Credit Card Review for 2019
Lauren Ward
on March 21, 2020
Read in 1 min

The USAA Secured Credit Card is designed to help you build or rebuild your credit card.

Because it’s secured, you’re required to provide a security deposit before you can open an account.

Once you get approved, however, you can use your card just as you would any other credit card.

There are some restrictions as well as interesting benefits, so keep reading to see if it’s the best secured card for you.

USAA Secured Credit Card Account Basics

First things first, in order to qualify for a USAA card, you or someone in your family needs to be an active or former military member.

If you meet that basic requirement, your card will be subject to variable APRs anywhere between 11.40% and 21.40%.

Your security deposit determines your credit limit and you can choose any amount between $250 and $5,000.

That money is held in an interest-bearing CD until you decide to close or upgrade your account, so at least you’re earning extra money just as you would with any other savings account.

Fees

This credit card does come with a $35 annual fee, but the plus side is that there’s no monthly fee you usually find with this type of card. It’s also important to note that there is a $0 foreign transaction fee.

That’s one of the best you’ll find and can be particularly useful if you’re stationed overseas.

You also get a special 4% APR on your balance for as long as 12 months anytime you’re deployed or have a permanent change of station.

After that, your APR goes to the same range you’d normally see with this card.

Account Limitations and Special Features

There’s no cash back rewards program with this credit card, but you do get some other perks that can be useful.

First and foremost, you’ll receive identity theft resolution services in the event your personal or financial information is stolen or used fraudulently.

You also get collision damage waiver coverage for rental vehicles and if you use your card for travel tickets, you typically receive travel accident insurance for you and your family.

Obviously, the major limitation with any secured card is that you have to place a large chunk of cash into an inaccessible savings account just to use the card.

Unfortunately, that’s the tradeoff for getting a credit card you might otherwise not qualify for.

Conclusion

The USAA Secured Credit Card can be a strong option vs other secured cards, particularly since it’s aimed at military families.

Because of that specialty, there are some unique advantages that can really help make things easier throughout the cycle of military service.

At the same time, the card can help get your credit score back on track as long as you make your payments on time each month.

If you don’t qualify for an unsecured credit card, this one can potentially help work towards that goal and get your security deposit back.

Lauren Ward Finance Journalist

Lauren Ward is a freelance content writer focusing on personal finance, real estate, and lending.

Her work has been featured on Huffington Post, CBS News, and Kiplinger.

She previously worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond as well as several national non-profit organizations.

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