Definition of

Surcharge

Bill

Anyone who is late when paying a bill or invoice must pay a surcharge.

Surcharge is a concept that is used to name the increase in a charge or the application or development of a new charge .

For example: “The Government announced that it will prohibit businesses from charging a surcharge for payment by debit card” , “If you pay your bill after the 10th, you will have a 15% surcharge” , “How can I recharge the balance to make calls from this phone?” .

Late payment surcharge

The notion of surcharge is frequently used to name the additional charge that is added to a certain debt when the person is late in paying. All debt is contracted with a payment period or expiration date. Once this period has passed, the debtor will be in default . This occurs even when an individual must pay for a service, such as electricity or telephone.

Companies generally punish late payment with a surcharge. Suppose an individual is late in paying his $200 bill to telephone company T, which imposes a 25% surcharge as a penalty, as stipulated in the terms of use of the service; Once the deadline has passed, you will have no choice but to pay $250, unless you want the company to take legal action against you.

Interruption of permanence

In this same context, telephone and Internet service companies usually apply a surcharge or penalty to customers who interrupt the permanence period established on the day of contracting. It is normal for companies to require a stay of one year or more, and to stipulate the amount that must be paid in the event of a withdrawal that occurs before said period.

The surcharge for interruption of service during the permanence period is variable, since it depends on the time that has passed since the contract was hired; If a client wants to change companies due to rate issues, it is advisable to wait until the amount is affordable, to avoid a considerable loss.

Tax surcharge

The idea of ​​surcharge also applies when the State requires an additional payment of a tax or fee according to certain parameters. The tax surcharge or fiscal surcharge , therefore, is an extra percentage that is added to the rate of a tax.

In country X , the purchase of 0 kilometer cars is taxed at 10% . However, if the car in question is produced abroad, a 35% surcharge applies.

Construction

Workers who work at night charge a surcharge.

Night Plus

The extra amount that a person must receive as compensation for working after a certain hour, which in some countries is 10 at night, is known as the night surcharge . This is a right that all workers must demand from their employers if they must cover night hours. The percentage applied to the normal salary is usually less than 50%.

An individual whose shift covers part of the day and part of the night receives a proportional night surcharge. It is worth mentioning that this compensation, at least in Spain , must also be applied to the calculation of social benefits (severance, interest on severance and service premiums), parafiscal contributions (family compensation funds, ICBF and Sena) and security. social (pension and health).

It is important to clarify that the night surcharge is not the same as the Sunday or holiday surcharge, and that it is not equivalent to compensation for nighttime overtime ; In fact, when you work overtime at night you are paid much more than if it were a regular shift . Similarly, an employee who works at night is entitled to a special surcharge if he is asked to attend work on a Sunday or holiday.