Q. I'm getting a service charge even after I pay off my total credit card balance. How can I avoid this?

A. We aren't sure what kind of service charge you're paying. It could be a monthly fee, an annual fee paid on a monthly basis, or a minimum monthly finance charge.

To find out whether you can avoid this charge, call the customer service number on the back of your credit card and ask to have the charge removed from your account.

If the service rep refuses to do that, then start shopping around for a new card that doesn't have such a charge.

Our extensive database of credit card offers will allow you to compare the interest rates and terms on many different types of cards, including whether there's an annual fee.

The only downside to canceling a card is that if you have had it for many years, it is a plus on your FICO score, the benchmark credit score developed by Fair Isaac Corp. When a card with a long history of on-time payments is closed, it could dent your score a little.

If you do decide to cancel your card, our 4 steps to cancel a credit card can help.