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Xfinity Grace Period and Bill Extension Options

Xfinity typically offers a grace period of seven to ten days for customers who are not able to pay their bill on time. Bill extensions are the best quick fix for customers who have only missed one month of billing. Payment arrangements are suitable for customers who are behind on multiple months and need intervention to avoid losing service or going to collections. Households near the poverty line may qualify for Xfinity's amnesty plan.

Grace period Outstanding balance Service termination Credit impact
7–10 days after your bill’s initial due date. 11–44 days after your missed due date. 45 days after your initial due date. 45–60+ days of no payments after your initial due date.

Bill Extension Payment arrangement Low-income plans

Steps to get an Xfinity bill extension

Extending your bill’s due date is a great way to avoid service interruptions. If you need a little more time to pay, consider changing your due date in advance.

You should know that the new due date will affect the next bill cycle, not the current one. So this option is ideal if you know you’re about to experience a tight budget in the next month or so and need more time to pay your next bill.

This option is only available to Xfinity customers who meet the following criteria:

  1. You must have gone through at least one billing cycle.
  2. You cannot have any past-due balances.

To set up a due date extension for your next and future bills, complete the following steps:

  1. Log in to your Xfinity account.
  2. Go to the “Billing” section found under your Account icon.
  3. Click the “Bill details” link that is located next to your amount due.
  4. Under “Bill Settings,” select “Bill Due Date.”
  5. You should see a “New bill due date” field with a “Select Date” drop-down menu.
  6. Choose your desired new due date from the drop-down and click “Continue”
  7. Review your selection in the review section. If you’re satisfied with your changes, click the “Submit” button. You should see a confirmation on the next page. For your reference, a confirmation email will be sent to you with your changes.

You should know that changing your bill’s due date will not add any late fees. Also, you can create the extended due date request on the Xfinity mobile app if that is more convenient for you.

If you want to chat with a representative about this option, use the “Ask Xfinity” chat option at the bottom of this support page.

Steps to get an Xfinity payment arrangement

Aside from simply relying on the Xfinity grace period, an Xfinity payment plan (payment arrangement) is a good option to keep your current services while paying off your past-due balance. It’s particularly helpful for people with multiple months outstanding.

To set up a payment arrangement, follow these steps:

Example of icon in Xfinity account.
Look for payment options near the "red dollar" icon inside your Xfinity online account.
  1. Sign into your Xfinity account online.
  2. If you’re eligible to set up a payment arrangement, you should see a “red dollar” icon.
  3. Click the “Chat for options” button located next to this icon.
  4. Select the option that says “Set up a payment arrangement.”
  5. You should then see a summary of your total balance due and your past due balance. You will be prompted to select a date on which the past due amount will be paid. This allows your account to stay active, assuming that your past-due amount will be paid on the date you select. Be aware that you must create a payment method for the past due amount; however, you will not be charged the amount due until the selected date. In some instances, you may be able to choose your payment method and date later on, but this is not the case for most.
  6. If there are other options available, the Xfinity assistant will explain them.
  7. After setting up your payment option, click the “Submit” button to submit your selected arrangement. You will see a confirmation of your arrangement.

If you opt to add a payment method, later on, the confirmation will tell you what date and time you need to add the payment method.

If you want to chat with a representative about this option, use the “Ask Xfinity” chat option at the bottom of this payment arrangement support page.

If you need help identifying which option is best for you, here is a table summarizing the various approaches:

Xfinity Payment ArrangementXfinity Bill Extension/Due date change
Qualifying CircumstanceYou've missed a payment and cannot pay the amount due all at once. You can make consistent payments but need a structured plan to get caught up and avoid account terminationYou have been an Xfinity customer for at least one full billing cycle, you can pay your current bill on time, but you know that you will need your next bill's due date to be further out to allow you to make the payment on time.
Things to keep in mindThis option is only available after you've already missed your payment's due date. This will be 11+ days after your due date has passed.You cannot have any past due balances to schedule your new due date.

Will Xfinity take you as a customer if you previously failed to pay?

Customers can “reactivate” their accounts and begin receiving service again only after any past amounts have been paid in full.

It has been reported that if your account was closed (aka deactivated) for more than 90 days, you might have to sign up as a new customer. You do have the option to link your accounts if you would like to use your previous user name.

You should expect to be charged a reactivation fee when signing up for services again.

If your account was deactivated due to failure to pay and you don’t want to reactivate it, many people have opted to have a close friend or family member sign up for them instead. This usually works best if the person is signing up lives with you.

For more information on late payments and disconnection of services, check out Xfinity’s Policies and Service Agreement page.

Can I get a discount if my income disappears?

Experiencing a loss of income can be a scary and confusing time. Fortunately, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is designed to help people navigate financial hardship by providing an affordable option to help them stay connected. Xfinity customers who qualify for the ACP can receive a discount of $30 on their internet and mobile services.

Xfinity low-income plan options

Finally, the absolute lowest and most reliable internet plans offered by Xfinity are their low-income plans. Households have to be very close to the poverty line to qualify for these; however, students and single parents can often benefit as well. These are applicable for short-term losses of income, although you have to switch to a standard plan if your income changes.

These are particularly interesting for customers with old Comcast debt holding them back from getting cable service. As of 2024, Xfinity maintains a forgiveness program for new customers with old debt that they can’t afford to pay off.

Plan NameSpeed Down/UpMonthly PriceWiFi Fee
Xfinity Internet Essentials50/10 Mbps$9.95/mo $0/mo
Xfinity Internet Essentials Plus100/20 Mbps$29.95/mo $0/mo

How to take action now

In summary, the sooner you contact Xfinity and establish a payment plan, the better your outcome. Here are your contact points to get it done today:

  1. Xfinity customer service phone number: 800-934-6489
  2. Xfinity customer support chat (following the link and click the contact option that says “Xfinity Assistant”): https://www.xfinity.com/support/contact-us
  3. Xfinity account login: https://idm.xfinity.com/myaccount/account-selector?execution=e1s1
  4. Download the Xfinity app: https://www.xfinity.com/apps

If your bill has already been sent to collections, paying the bill immediately and working proactively with the collections agency is usually the best path toward eventually removing the mark from your credit reports.


Frequently Asked Questions

How long does Xfinity take to disconnect service when customers don’t pay?

Xfinity agents consulted for this article confirmed a timeline of 45 days between payment failure and service disconnection. However, they noted that this timeline is dependent on the customer’s unique payment history. The period may be shorter or longer depending on location and the customer's payment history. New customers with less than one month of service receive less lenience than existing or long-time customers.

Do unpaid Xfinity bills go to collections or hurt customer credit scores?

Like any consumer service, Xfinity can and often do send delinquent accounts to collections agencies. This can impact your credit score, although you’ll typically receive multiple notices prior to credit impact.

Page Summary
  • Xfinity offers forgiveness to customers signing up for low-income plans if their debt with Comcast is more than one year old.
  • The Xfinity grace period is typically up to seven days, but can be shorter for customers with new accounts or past-due accounts for other services.

Author
Jameson Zimmer
Broadband Market Analyst
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Last Update: February 13, 2024
Published: March 27, 2023
CC BY-ND 4.0

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