How to Read Fine Print

The terms offered in a loan agreement, financial report or credit card application can seem like a foreign language. If you don't read them all, you may wish you had later on. This especially applies to fine print, many companies' way of sneaking in limitations, terms and penalties they'd rather keep hidden.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Read the document. Before reading the fine print, it's essential that you know what you're reviewing. Chances are, just reading the fine print will make no sense at all if you skip the actual text.
2. Classify the document. The fine print on a credit card application has a different purpose than the fine print on a company's financial statements. Its easier to identify what purpose the fine print serves when you know what type of document you're inspecting.
3. Look for the asterisks. Asterisks are frequently used to denote a term or special restrictions at the bottom in fine print. If you see an asterisk, check the bottom of the document for the corresponding terms.
4. Know what to look for at the bottom. On credit card applications, you will specifically need to search the fine print for changes to the annual percentage rate (APR). When looking at a company's financial statement, find their accounting practices and long term growth.
5. Reread the fine print. After wading through technical terms and quite possibly a lot of numbers, you might be frustrated. It's important, however, to go over the document as often as necessary until you are sure that you haven't missed anything. Terms included in the fine print can be incredibly important.