Legacy Visa Credit Card Review
The Legacy Visa is an unsecured credit card that can help you build a positive payment history and improve your credit situation.
Whether you are working towards your first credit card, need to rebuild credit following an unforeseen change in circumstances, or you’re just starting out as an adult.
What Is a Legacy Visa Credit Card?
The Legacy Visa card, offered through First National Bank, is an unsecured credit card.
Unsecured credit cards are convenient as you are not obligated to provide a deposit to use your card and simply need to pay your bill at the end of the month.
The Legacy Visa is a standard credit card, but as each card comes with its own set of pros and cons, so it is important to weigh them carefully.
Legacy Visa Credit Card Pros and Cons
Legacy credit card pros:
- Easy Approvals: The Legacy Visa tends to be easier for applicants to qualify even with a lower FICO score. While there is no available information on the company’s website, some consumer reviews indicate being accepted with a score in the 500’s.
- Credit Limits: Credit limits can start as high as $1500; this will be determined with your FICO score.
- Rewards Program: The Legacy card does come with the option of a rewards program. The Premium Club allows for earning rewards and various discounts on restaurants, hotels, and more. See details below for the associated costs.
- Online Platform: You can view and manage your payments online using their free online account system. Download statements and sign up for automatic payments.
- Payment Protection Plan: The Legacy Visa also offers an optional payment protection plan which costs $0.89 per $100 of your ending balance, up to a maximum of $5000. The protection plan is only available under certain circumstances such as unemployment, hospitalization, military leave, or jury duty. You must also wait 120 days in between qualifying events.
- Fraud Protection: You can benefit from fraud protection on your lost or stolen card for purchases that were fraudulently made.
Legacy Visa card cons:
- Invitation only: While you may be interested in applying for a Legacy Visa card, you can only apply if you receive an invitation from First National.
- Annual Fee: There is a $75 yearly fee for the Legacy Visa card, which is billed monthly at $6.25.
- High-interest rate: The legacy Visa has an elevated APR of 29.9%.
- Additional fees: There are a variety of extra fees which can add up. There is a $20 fee for adding an authorized user. There is also a $25 fee for late or returned payments.
- Reward programs fees: The optional rewards program costs an additional $4.95 per month. Its worth must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis in relation to each consumer’s credit limit and spending habits.
Legacy Visa Credit Card Application Process
As mentioned earlier, unless you have received an invitation, you will be unable to apply for a First National Legacy Visa credit card.
However, if you receive an invite, then you can easily proceed with the application process.
Just make sure to keep your prequalification letter which contains two important pieces of information: the reservation number and access code.
1. The First National Bank website is pretty self-explanatory; simply click on the green Accept Online button. You will be sent to the next page.
2. Enter your Reservation and Access code in the corresponding boxes.
3. Complete the application; this will require certain pieces of personal information such as your name, date of birth, home address, and income.
4. When you have completed the form, submit your application and await a response from First National. If your application is approved, you will be provided with your Legacy Visa card and credit limit.
What Credit Score Is Required to Get a Legacy Visa Card?
Although First National Bank does not indicate the card’s credit score requirement, a few online consumer Legacy Visa reviews provide some insight.
In the examples below, users from the Pissed Consumer and myFICO forums qualified for their Legacy cards with a credit score in the 500’s.
Although their credit limits varied, their reviews demonstrate the potential of obtaining a Legacy credit card with a lower credit score.
READ: Group One Platinum Review
How to Make a Legacy Visa Payment
You can make your Legacy Visa card payment a variety of different ways;
- Make your payment through your chequing account via the website or even using their automated telephone system.
- Payments are also accepted through Moneygram or Western Union.
- Make a debit card payment by calling customer service at 888-883-9824 (a $3.95 fee will apply).
You can also mail your Legacy Visa payment to the following address;
How To Cancel My Legacy Credit Card?
Although we generally suggest keeping your credit cards open to help lower your credit utilization ratio there are always exceptions.
If you’ve managed to raise your credit score high enough to acquire a better and cheaper credit card since signing up for the Legacy Visa, you may decide to cancel it.
A $75 annual fee is nothing to ignore, especially when the funds can be put to better use. This is particularly true if the card is no longer in use.
Your account can be canceled at any time by submitting your request in writing and returning all issued Legacy credit cards cut in half.
Legacy Visa Credit Card Alternative Options
Petal 1 Credit Card
The Petal 1 Credit Card is an unsecured credit card with no annual fee and is ideal for people with bad or limited credit.
Instead of reviewing your credit score, Petal 1 will evaluate your general banking history (spending, income, and savings) to assess your application.
The Petal 1 credit card includes a variable APR of 19.99% – 29.49%, a $500 – $5000 credit limit, and a leap program for increasing your credit limit if you are below the $5000 limit.
You can also enjoy no international transaction fees and a 2% – 10% cashback rewards program from select merchants.
The company also offers the Petal 2 Credit Card with zero fees and lower APR’s and additional rewards.
You can submit a pre-approval application for both cards to see which of the two is a better fit for your current situation.
Discover It Secured Credit Card
Discover It is a secured credit card option that comes with no annual fee. Security deposits start at $200, which would represent your card’s credit limit.
After eight months, your account would be evaluated on a monthly basis to assess the possibility of converting your card over to an unsecured credit card. When that happens, the value of your security deposit would be refunded.
The Discover card also comes with a few nice perks, such as 2% cashback on restaurants and gas up to $1000 worth of purchases made each quarter.
You will also benefit automatically with 1% cashback on all other types of purchases. At the end of the first year, your account will be credited dollar-for-dollar for every cashback buck you earned.
Now, although the current APR for purchases is set at 22.99%, these fees can be avoided by paying off your entire balance each month.
OpenSky Secured Visa Credit Card
The OpenSky Secured Visa credit card remains an excellent option for applicants searching for a higher credit limit and a lower interest rate than the Legacy card.
While there is a $35 annual fee, their rate is well below the annual fee required for the Legacy Visa card. Plus, their APR is currently 17.39%.
Security deposits range between $200 to $3000; choose how much you want to pay down, your security deposit will become your credit limit.
Conclusion
While the Legacy Visa credit card may be enticing with their approval of applicants with lower FICO scores, it’s important to weigh the reoccurring costs before submitting your application.
Once you consider the $75 annual fee and the cost of enjoying the card’s additional perks, you may be better off selecting a better and cheaper credit card.
About the author
Clara is the founder of Credit Rise Up, an entrepreneur, personal finance expert, and credit repair enthusiast. She’s committed to helping her readers get on the right track and take actionable steps towards improving their credit by using the experience that allowed her to join The 800 Club. Find out more.